Youngkin declares state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Helene

The projected path of Hurricane Helene as of Wednesday, Sept. 25. (Courtesy of National Weather Service)

Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Wednesday declared a state of emergency for the commonwealth of Virginia in anticipation of impacts from Hurricane Helene later this week. 

Although the current storm path places its center west of Virginia, forecasts from the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center suggest that the western parts of the state could face significant rainfall and flooding from Friday into Saturday, compounded by earlier rain events expected in the coming days.

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“Even though the largest impacts of Helene are predicted to the south and west of us, we cannot ignore the fact that we have had significant flooding events arise from pre-cursory rain events and outer bands from tropical systems that drop locally heavy rainfall leading to flooding, especially in our southwestern region,” Youngkin said in a statement. 

“It is critical that we remain vigilant, understanding that tracks and impacts can shift. As high winds and heavy rains are predicted for parts of Virginia, we urge everyone to stay informed through trusted resources and follow the direction of your local officials.” 

The governor’s state of emergency declaration gives Virginia greater flexibility to mobilize resources and equipment to respond to the storm, including activating Virginia’s Emergency Operations Center and the Virginia Emergency Support Team, putting into effect anti-price gouging measures and authorizing up to $350,000 in response and recovery funding. 

As Hurricane Helene approaches Florida, search and rescue teams from Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland have been deployed to assist. 

Virginia Task Force 1 was dispatched Tuesday afternoon and is already en route to the storm, while Maryland Task Force 1 departed for Florida on Wednesday afternoon. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) activated the teams in response to a request from the state of Florida.

For more information about preparing your business, your family, and your property against hurricane threats visit: VAemergency.gov/hurricanes  and ready.gov/hurricanes.