Snowstorm Impacts Government Offices, Transit in Fredericksburg

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — City offices in Fredericksburg closed on Monday, Jan. 3 due to the snowstorm, officials announced around 7 a.m. Several other services in the city also changed their operations on Monday due to the inclement weather.

Fredericksburg's General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court did not open on Monday. Any cases scheduled for Monday will be continued, officials said.

FRED transit ceased operations much earlier than usual on Monday due to the weather. Officials said FRED transit buses stopped their routes at 7 a.m., when it became unsafe due to the accumulating snowfall.

At 7:30 a.m., city officials said that public works employees would collect trash as scheduled until it was no longer safe. Trash collection ceased at 7:45 a.m.

Local police departments are urging residents to stay off the road if possible. At 8 a.m., the Fredericksburg Police Department said they were on the scene of "several" vehicle accidents in the city.

"It's the first snow day of the New Year and that means it's the perfect day to stay home, have a snowball fight, and warm up with a hot chocolate," the police department said on Facebook. "Please stay home and enjoy the snowfall!"

On Sunday evening, the Virginia Department of Health announced that Community Vaccination Centers throughout the state would not open on Monday, including the location in Fredericksburg. Residents who had an appointment scheduled for Monday can reschedule online.

The snow is expected to continue to fall through the afternoon. Fredericksburg and the surrounding area are under a winter storm warning until 4 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Weather officials are expecting between 5 and 10 inches of snow accumulation and wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour.

Read more: Winter Storm Warning For 3-7 Inches Of Snow In DC, NoVA

Have a story idea? Email me at liam.griffin@patch.com with tips, questions, comments, or concerns.