Rain follows 4 inches of snow, but 2 to 6 inches still to come

10:45 p.m.

Statewide as of 10 p.m., the Virgina State Police said they had dispatched help on 2,286 calls, including 766 involving disabled vehicles, 973 accidents with property damage, 90 accidents with injuries, 12 accidents involving state vehicles and the one accident in which two people died.

6:16 p.m.

There is some good news out of the storm -- so far. Rain now is washing some of the accumulation away, although sleet and snow are expected to return later tonight and tomorrow.

"We didn’t see the icing that we were worried about, and we’re very happy about that," Virginia Department of Emergency Management spokesman Bob Spieldenner said late this afternoon.

Authorities had feared the storm would produce ice that would take down power lines and cause blackouts.

(This has been a breaking weather news update. Check throughout the day for continuous updates. Earlier stories are posted below.)

6 p.m.

Statewide, as of 4:30 p.m. today, the Virgina State Police said they had dispatched help on 1,259 calls, including 414 involving disabled vehicles, 500 accidents with property damage, 56 accidents with injuries and one accident in which two people died.

(This has been a breaking weather news update. Check throughout the day for continuous updates. Earlier stories are posted below.)

5:03 p.m.

RICHMOND, Va. -- Dexter C. White, director of the Richmond Department of Public Works, says crews started pre-treating roads with salt and sand at 7 this morning and that a total of 84 pieces of equipment -- 15 of them operated by contractors -- will be on the road to deal with the snow.

For last weekend’s storm, the city had a total of 67 pieces on the road, 15 of them operated by contractors.

Following criticism of the cleanup of last weekend’s storm, Mayor Dwight C. Jones announced measures to improve the city’s snow response.

As part of the city’s new measures, crews are to start plowing when there is 2 inches of snow on the ground, rather than waiting for 3 inches. Officials have set a goal of clearing all main, nonresidential roads within 48 hours.

They also are encouraging residents to not park their cars along 18 snow-emergency routes and are warning that the city could begin to enforce parking restrictions in those areas. .

“We don’t want to tow, but, if need be, it may be one of the alternatives that we take,” White said. The routes are:

Broad Street — both sides between Belvidere and Second streets, south side between Eighth and 14th streets, north side between 12th and Eighth streets

Eighth Street — west side between Leigh and Cary streets, east side between Broad and Main streets

Seventh Street — east side between Canal and Marshall streets, west side between Canal and Broad streets

Franklin Street — south side between Stuart Circle and Ninth Street, north side between Adams and Sixth streets

Main Street — south side between 25th and Belvidere streets, north side between 21st and Belvidere streets

Cary Street — south side between Laurel and 10th streets, south side between 13th and 14th streets, south side between Thompson Street and Boulevard

Marshall Street — south side between Belvidere and Fifth streets

Semmes Avenue — both sides between 19th Street and Forest Hill Avenue

Mechanicsville Turnpike — both sides between Fairfield Avenue and Cool Lane

Chamberlayne Avenue — both sides between Westminster and Azalea avenues

(This has been a breaking weather news update. Check throughout the day for continuous updates. Earlier stories are posted below.)

4:11 p.m.

RICHMOND, Va. -- Heavy snow was falling this afternoon in Northern Virginia, reducing visibilty to about a quarter- to a half-mile.

"Tonight into Saturday morning will be about as dangerous as winter weather can get around here," National Weather Service meteorologist Chris Strong said in an e-mail to the region's media outlets.

That region could get two feet of snow, and some places could get more than 30 inches, said Kevin Witt, another weather service meteorologist.

So far, however, no major problems have been reported, Witt said.

(This has been a breaking weather news update. Check throughout the day for continuous updates. Earlier stories are posted below.)

3:40 p.m.

RICHMOND, Va. -- Power outages are mounting in southwestern Virginia as a major winter storm rolls through.

Appalachian Power says about 17,700 customers were without service Friday afternoon.

The National Weather Service reports significant wind damage across Tazewell County in Southwest Virginia. Several structures have blown down. Numerous trees and power lines are down. Nearly half of the county has no power.

The weather service warns that widespread power outages are likely in parts of southwestern Virginia and southern West Virginia with wind gusts of up to 65 mph expected.

(This has been a breaking weather news update. Check throughout the day for continuous updates. Earlier stories are posted below.)

3:05 p.m.

RICHMOND, Va. -- Here are some more unofficial snow totals:

-- 6.7 to 10 inches in Floyd County.

-- 8 inches in Bedford County.

-- 5 inches in Amherst County.

-- 5.5 inches in Galax.

-- 1.3 inches in Chesterfield County.

(This has been a breaking weather news update. Check throughout the day for continuous updates. Earlier stories are posted below.)

3 p.m.
RICHMOND, Va. -- As of noon today, Virginia State Police have responded to 691 calls for service statewide and towed 36 inoperable or abandoned vehicles. Two people have been killed and 16 injured in crashes, and 239 crashes have resulted in property damage. In the Richmond region, there have been 83 calls for service with one person hurt and 36 vehicles disabled by noontime.

Sgt. Thomas Molnar, a Virginia State Police spokesman, said more accidents and service calls have occurred in western Virginia, where conditions have been worse, but the Richmond region will experience more problems as time passes as well.

"If people have to be out and about, they need to drive accordingly and maintain control," Molnar said. "Just because it’s snowing doesn’t mean you are immune from receiving a summons for reckless driving."

Motorists can dial 511 from their mobile phone for traffic conditions. For reporting emergencies only, motorists can dial #77 or dial 911 from their phone.

(This has been a breaking weather news update. Check throughout the day for continuous updates. Earlier stories are posted below.)

2:30 p.m.
RICHMOND, Va. -- In case you missed it earlier, here's a recap of what we've reported so far on air and rail travel disruptions.

Earlier today at Richmond International Airport, a spokesman said airlines had already scrubbed many flights in anticipation of storm conditions.

The capital region field anticipates that airline schedules for early Saturday departures will also be truncated.

Richmond International Airport advises travelers to check their flight's status before heading to the airport. The airport notes that most airlines, in anticipation of inclement weather, have eased policies regarding travel waivers and re-booking opportunities.

Here's the report from Amtrak:

For today:

All southbound Northeast Regional trains, with the exception of Train 67, are canceled between Washington and Richmond and Newport News with no alternate transportation.

Northeast Regional Train 176 is canceled between Lynchburg and Washington and Train 171 is canceled from Washington to Lynchburg.

Palmetto trains 89 and 90, are canceled in their entirety between New York and Savannah.

Carolinian trains 79 and 80 will operate only between Raleigh and Charlotte.

Cardinal train 51, the westbound Cardinal, for Feb. 5 is canceled in Virginia. It will originate in Huntington, W.Va., and operate through to Chicago.

Silver Service trains between New York and Miami will operate normally.

(This has been a breaking weather news update. Check throughout the day for continuous updates. Earlier stories are posted below.)

1:35 p.m.
RICHMOND, Va. -- Snow is already piling up to the west and north.

Unofficial totals from the National Weather Service around midday include:

-- 2 inches at Short Pump.

-- 2 inches in Albemarle County.

-- 3.8 inches in Highland County.

-- 5.5 inches in Nelson County.

-- 3.5 inches in Prince William County.

-- 2 to 5.3 inches in Campbell County.

--7 inches in Carroll County.

-- 4.5 to 9 inches in Floyd County.

--1 inch in Lunenburg County.

-- A half-inch in Prince George County.

(This has been a breaking weather news update. Check throughout the day for continuous updates. Earlier stories are posted below.)

1:15 p.m.
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia State Police say a father and son have died after being hit by a tractor-trailer while trying to help a driver who wrecked in snow on Interstate 81, the Associated Press reports.

About 12:40 a.m. Friday, a car spun out of control on I-81 in Wythe County and one of the passengers was injured. The men stopped to help, and minutes later a tractor-trailer trying to avoid the vehicle jackknifed, striking their minivan.

Police say 25-year-old William Edward Smith Jr. of Mooresburg, Tenn., was standing outside the minivan and was struck. His father, 54-year-old William Edward Smith Sr. of Sylva., N.C., was inside the minivan. Both died at the scene.

A third occupant of the minivan, a nurse who was helping the person injured in the car, was not injured.

State police are investigating and say charges are pending.

(This has been a breaking weather news update. Check throughout the day for continuous updates. The earlier story is posted below.)

12:55 p.m.
So far the winter storm is behaving as forecast, experts said.

"Everything’s progressing on schedule," said Wayne Albright, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Wakefield.

Richmond and its close suburbs should get about 2 to 5 inches of snow today and perhaps 2 to 4 inches tomorrow, the weather service says.

Parts of western and Northern Virginia could get 20 to 28 inches, the weather service says. Places south and east of Richmond should get the least.

"I think all areas of Virginia will have an accumulating snow out of this when it’s all said and done," Albright said.

The snow began in Richmond about 9 a.m. It should slowly shift this afternoon or evening to a sleety snow and eventually to rain tonight.

We could get rain and sleet on and off through the night, then another round of snow Saturday about 8 or 10 a.m. That should continue as snow until it ends in late afternoon or early evening.

Temperatures should drop from the low to mid-30s today to perhaps the upper 20s tomorrow, Albright said.

On top of that, the wind should pick up, from about 9 mph today to 15-to-25 mph tomorrow, he said.

"It’s going to feel and look different tomorrow," Albright said. "You’re going to feel the bite and chill of it."

David Tolleris, a commercial forecaster in Chester, said the immediate Richmond area should get 4 to 8 inches today and perhaps 3 to 6 inches Saturday.

Saturday’s snowfall is harder to forecast, he said.