Va. governor declares state of emergency as winter storm moves in

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has declared a state of emergency as a winter storm threatens to blanket the state with more than a foot of snow in some locations.

By declaring the state of emergency Monday, the governor authorizes state agencies to position resources for quick response anywhere they are needed.

McAuliffe said the storm could result in widespread power failures for days. He advised residents to postpone any travel during the storm, which was expected to continue into Tuesday.

Besides the emergency declaration, the state emergency operations center has added additional response team members to coordinate the state's response to the storm.

The Virginia National Guard is standing by to support emergency response operations as needed.

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