Richmond, VA - Ahead of inclement weather conditions, all City of Richmond buildings will be closed on Monday, Dec. 8. Some City services will be available virtually. 

Residents should continue visit go.rva.gov/winter-weather for the latest updates and follow the City of Richmond's social media channels for updates on City operations. For more information on weather conditions, please monitor reliable sources such as the National Weather Service.  

Inclement Weather Shelters 

To protect and shelter Richmond's most vulnerable residents, the City's Inclement Weather Shelter, located at 1900 Chamberlayne Avenue and operated by the Salvation Army, will continue operations based on the weather.  

Richmond Ready Alerts 

Residents are encouraged to sign up for Richmond Ready Alerts to receive critical emergency and weather alerts from the City of Richmond. Residents can text 'RVAREADY' to 888-777 to receive a sign-up link or visit rva.gov/richmondreadyalerts to learn more.

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La Ciudad de Richmond cerrará ante el mal tiempo (lunes 8 de diciembre)

Richmond, VA - En preparación ante las condiciones meteorológicas adversas pronosticadas, todas las oficinas e instalaciones de la ciudad de Richmond estarán cerradas el lunes 8 de diciembre. Algunos servicios municipales estarán disponibles de forma virtual.

Los habitantes deben visitar go.rva.gov/winter-weather para ver las últimas actualizaciones y seguir los canales de redes sociales de la Ciudad de Richmond para mantenerse informados sobre las operaciones municipales. Para más información sobre las condiciones meteorológicas, por favor consulte fuentes fiables como el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional.

Refugios para el mal tiempo

Para proteger y albergar a los residentes más vulnerables de Richmond, el refugio de la ciudad para el mal tiempo, ubicado en el 1900 de Chamberlayne Avenue y administrado por Salvation Army, continuará operando debido a las condiciones climáticas.

Alertas de Richmond Ready

Animamos a los richmondeses a inscribirse en el sistema de alertas Richmond Ready para recibir avisos críticos durante emergencias y alertas meteorológicas de la Ciudad de Richmond. Los habitantes pueden enviar el mensaje 'RVAREADY' al número 888-777 para recibir un enlace de inscripción o visitar rva.gov/richmondreadyalerts para obtener más información.

RICHMOND, Virginia - With the season's first snow already underway, the City of Richmond is sharing updates on its readiness plans and offering helpful tips to help residents stay safe during the winter season.

Citywide Preparedness Efforts

Ahead of the winter season, departments across the city have been working together to ensure that the city stays moving, informed, and supported throughout the season.

• Coordinated Emergency Readiness: The Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response continues to regularly monitor weather conditions for the region and host weather briefings with key city departments to maintain shared situational awareness and coordinated readiness for any potential weather impacts.
• Snow and Ice Response Preparation: The Department of Public Works has conducted training for staff and completed practice runs of its 60 snow routes. This allows for city crews to become familiarized with routes, test equipment, and identify any operation issues to ensure that plow operators can safely navigate challenging areas. To support winter operations, the city currently has 5,000 tons of salt and 2,000 tons of sand along with 2,000 tons of a mixture of sand and salt, as well as chemicals designed to prevent bridge surfaces from freezing when the temperature is colder than 35 degrees.
• Park Facilities Winterization: The Department of Parks & Recreation is prepared for winter with stocked "Ice Melt" and other products to mitigate ice and snow, inspected snowplows for trucks and equipment, and updated inventories of all snow and ice removal equipment, tools, and supplies.
• Safeguarding Critical Utility Services: The Department of Public Utilities has prepared its systems and crews for uninterrupted operations of water and wastewater services throughout the winter. In addition to ensuring critical infrastructure is winterized, DPU crews can assist with snow plowing operations as needed. In the event the city is closed due to inclement weather, residents can report utility emergencies by calling 804-646-4646 and use option one.

"As temperatures drop, our priority remains the safety and well-being of every resident, and I'm proud of how city departments have been working together to ensure Richmond is ready for the season," Mayor Danny Avula said in a statement. "Winter weather affects all of us. By planning ahead, residents can stay safe, and our city teams can respond effectively when inclement weather strikes."

"Our goal is simple: Keep residents informed, maintain safe operations across the city, and protect our community no matter what the winter season may bring," said Stephen Willoughby, Director of the Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response.

Winter Safety

Safety is a shared responsibility, and the City of Richmond offers these tips for staying safe during the winter season:

• Sign up for Richmond Ready Alerts to receive critical emergency and weather notifications from the city of Richmond. Text RVAREADY to 888-777 to receive a sign-up link or visit rva.gov/richmondreadyalerts to learn more.
• Please ensure your vehicles are winter-ready, with proper tires and antifreeze levels. Be cautious when traveling and allow extra time to reach your destinations, drive slowly, and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles.
• Never use stoves or ovens as a heat source. Use only safe sources of alternative heat such as a fireplace or a portable space heater.
• Be cautious when using a generator and ensure that it is positioned outdoors in a well-ventilated area, away from windows and doors to prevent carbon monoxide buildup inside your home.
• Limit your time outside. If you need to go outside, then wear layers of warm clothing.
• Be vigilant when walking outdoors; icy surfaces can pose a hazard. Ensure that walkways and driveways are cleared of snow and ice to prevent slips and falls.
• In case of power outages, have emergency supplies on hand, including food, water, and flashlights. To report power outages, downed power lines or damaged electrical equipment, contact Dominion Energy at 1-866-366-4357.
• Secure and reinforce all windows, roofs, doors, and garage doors.
• Continue to monitor weather conditions and stay informed through trusted sources, like local news outlets and The National Weather Service Wakefield.

The City of Richmond also partners with the Salvation Army to provide an inclement weather shelter for residents in need of a warm and safe place. The shelter is open every night from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. and located at 1900 Chamberlayne Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23222.

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The City of Richmond's Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response sustains citizen trust by providing reliable emergency preparedness management and communications services in a timely and efficient manner. DECPR is designated as the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for the City of Richmond's E-911 telephone system and is charged with the appropriate routing of all E-911 and non-emergency calls for service. The department is also responsible for the coordination of all emergency radio and telephone communications for public safety agencies in the City of Richmond.

It's that time of year - the Dominion Energy Christmas Parade is back. The annual festive event will take place this Saturday, and several street closures and no-parking zones will be in effect.

The parade will begin at 10:15 a.m. at the Science Museum of Virginia and proceed east on Broad Street toward North 10th Street. More than 100,000 spectators from across Virginia are expected to attend, according to parade organizers.

To accommodate this event:

• No Parking zones along the route will go into effect at 3 a.m. on Saturday, December 6, and remain in place until 2 p.m. 

• Road closures will begin at 6 a.m. on Saturday, December 6, and will reopen at 2 p.m.

For towing inquiries, please contact Seibert's Towing at (804) 233-5757.

The Richmond Police Department encourages attendees to plan ahead and allow extra travel time.

Richmond, VA - Ahead of inclement weather conditions, all City of Richmond buildings will be closed on Friday, Dec. 5. Some City services will be available virtually. 

Residents should visit go.rva.gov/winter-weather for the latest updates and follow the City of Richmond's social media channels for updates on City operations. For more information on weather conditions, please monitor reliable sources such as the National Weather Service.  

Inclement Weather Shelters 

To protect and shelter Richmond's most vulnerable residents, the City's Inclement Weather Shelter, located at 1900 Chamberlayne Avenue and operated by the Salvation Army, will continue operations based on the weather.  

Richmond Ready Alerts 

Residents are encouraged to sign up for Richmond Ready Alerts to receive critical emergency and weather alerts from the City of Richmond. Residents can text 'RVAREADY' to 888-777 to receive a sign-up link or visit rva.gov/richmondreadyalerts to learn more.

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The city of Richmond's Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response sustains citizen trust by providing reliable emergency preparedness management and communications services in a timely and efficient manner. DECPR is designated as the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for the City of Richmond's E-911 telephone system and is charged with the appropriate routing of all E-911 and non-emergency calls for service. The department is also responsible for the coordination of all emergency radio and telephone communications for public safety agencies in the City of Richmond.

La Ciudad de Richmond cerrará ante el mal tiempo

Richmond, VA - En preparación ante las condiciones meteorológicas adversas pronosticadas, todas las oficinas e instalaciones de la ciudad de Richmond estarán cerradas el viernes 5 de diciembre. Algunos servicios municipales estarán disponibles de forma virtual.

Los habitantes deben visitar go.rva.gov/winter-weather para ver las últimas actualizaciones y seguir los canales de redes sociales de la Ciudad de Richmond para mantenerse informados sobre las operaciones municipales. Para más información sobre las condiciones meteorológicas, por favor consulte fuentes fiables como el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional.

Refugios para el mal tiempo

Para proteger y albergar a los residentes más vulnerables de Richmond, el refugio de la ciudad para el mal tiempo, ubicado en el 1900 de Chamberlayne Avenue y administrado por Salvation Army, continuará operando debido a las condiciones climáticas.

Alertas de Richmond Ready

Animamos a los richmondeses a inscribirse en el sistema de alertas Richmond Ready para recibir avisos críticos durante emergencias y alertas meteorológicas de la Ciudad de Richmond. Los habitantes pueden enviar el mensaje 'RVAREADY' al número 888-777 para recibir un enlace de inscripción o visitar rva.gov/richmondreadyalerts para obtener más información.

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El Departamento de Comunicaciones, Preparación y Respuesta ante Emergencias (DECPR, por sus siglas en inglés) de la Ciudad de Richmond mantiene la confianza ciudadana proporcionando servicios fiables de gestión y comunicaciones de emergencia de manera oportuna y eficiente. DECPR está designado como el Punto de Respuesta de Seguridad Pública (PSAP) para el sistema telefónico E-911 de la ciudad de Richmond y está encargado de la dirección adecuada de todas las llamadas E-911 y no urgentes de servicio. El departamento también es responsable de la coordinación de todas las comunicaciones de emergencia por radio y teléfono para las agencias de seguridad pública en la ciudad de Richmond.

The City of Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities today announced the scale back of RVA Illuminates, scheduled for Friday, December 5, 2025 due to forecasted weather conditions that present safety concerns for attendees, performers, and event staff.

Parks and Recreation will still move forward with the official holiday lighting moment at Kanawha Plaza, which can be seen on WRIC 8 beginning at 5:45 pm. Community members are encouraged to tune in as we continue the tradition of welcoming the holiday season together, even if from home. Given the current forecast, the City has determined it is necessary to cancel the scheduled performances. 

“We know RVA Illuminates is a cherished tradition for families across our city, and this decision was not made lightly,” said Chris Frelke, Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. “Our top priority is always the safety of Richmond residents, visitors, and staff. We’re grateful for the community’s understanding and look forward to celebrating the season in safer conditions.”

For more information about the department, follow PRCF on Facebook, X, and Instagram or visit our website at www.rva.gov/parks-recreation.