Glenn Youngkin issues state of emergency for Virginia ahead of Tropical Storm Ophelia
Rachel Schilke
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Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) issued a state of emergency for Virginia ahead of a storm expected to hit Friday.
“As this storm has organized and strengthened, it’s becoming clear based on the latest forecasts that impacts to the commonwealth are likely,” Youngkin said in a statement. “We want to ensure that all communities, particularly those with the greatest anticipated impact, have the resources they need to respond and recover from the effects of this storm.”
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“Since this storm has the potential to have a range of impacts across numerous localities in the commonwealth, I encourage all Virginians and visitors to keep up with the latest forecast for their area from a trusted source, make a plan, and have their emergency kits read,” the governor added.
The governor’s office warned residents they should prepare for “severe rainfall, flooding, wind damage, tornadoes, and other storm-related impacts” beginning Friday through Sunday.
The storm, named Potential Tropical Cyclone 16 by the National Hurricane Center when Youngkin first issued the warning, morphed into Tropical Storm Ophelia on Friday. It is projected to make landfall in North Carolina as a tropical storm early Saturday before moving into New Jersey as a tropical depression through early Monday.
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As of 11 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, the storm hit maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour.
The National Hurricane Center defines a potential tropical cyclone as a disturbance that poses a threat of tropical storm or hurricane conditions to land within 48 hours.