Youngkin declares State of Emergency ahead of Ophelia

RICHMOND, VA – Governor Glenn Youngkin today declared a State of Emergency in advance of Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen which is expected to have impacts on Virginia beginning Friday, September 22, 2023. This is an unusual storm, which has been difficult to accurately forecast, approaching large population centers with many at-risk communities. Accordingly, the pre-positioning of response assets and supplies will be necessary to assist our local and state partners. The Virginia Emergency Support Team will activate for this incident.

“As this storm has organized and strengthened, it’s becoming clear based on the latest forecasts that impacts to the commonwealth are likely,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “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. 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 ready.”

This State of Emergency allows the commonwealth to mobilize resources and equipment needed for response and recovery efforts. Virginians should be prepared for the potential of severe rainfall, flooding, wind damage, tornadoes, and other storm-related impacts from Friday, September 22 through Sunday, September 24, 2023.

The Virginia Emergency Support Team (VEST) is actively monitoring the situation and coordinating resources and information to prepare for this storm. The Virginia Emergency Operations Center (VEOC) will coordinate preparedness, response, and recovery efforts with local, state, and federal officials.