Severe storms damage Chesterfield homes and roadways Monday evening
TL;DR: Severe storms swept through Chesterfield County on Monday evening, felling trees into homes and causing widespread power outages with no injuries reported.
Quick facts
- Who: Chesterfield County residents and emergency responders
- What: Severe thunderstorms brought high winds, fallen trees, and lightning strikes that damaged homes and closed roads
- When: Monday evening, August 10, 2026, between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
- Where: Chesterfield County, with hardest-hit areas in Winterpock and Matoaca
The story
Severe thunderstorms struck Chesterfield County on Monday evening around 6:30 p.m., leaving a trail of damage across the county. High-speed winds toppled trees into at least four homes, with two sustaining significant structural damage. One resident, Cherry Schelin, described how a tree came down in her yard as her daughter was arriving home from work.
The impact displaced at least five people, including four adults and a child. Fire Captain Joe Harvey confirmed that several homes sustained significant damage, though he noted no injuries were reported from any of the incidents.
Between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., Chesterfield County Fire and EMS responded to approximately 32 calls, the vast majority storm-related. One lightning strike ignited a house fire in an attached garage in the Chester and Enon areas during the storm. Winterpock Road and Spring Run Road were closed Monday evening while utility and transportation crews addressed fallen trees and downed power lines.
The Winterpock and Matoaca areas experienced the most severe damage from the storm. By 11 p.m., more than 14,000 Chesterfield customers had lost electricity. At the peak of outages across Central Virginia, over 47,000 homes and businesses were without power, with more than 18,000 of those outages in Chesterfield County.
Officials urged residents to stay away from downed power lines and to turn off cooking appliances during outages to prevent accidental activation when power was restored.
Key players
- Chesterfield County Fire and EMS: Emergency response and rescue operations
- Cherry Schelin: Resident with tree damage to home
- Captain Joe Harvey: Chesterfield Fire and EMS official providing incident details
Why it matters: The storm displaced multiple families and left thousands without power, affecting daily life and safety for Chesterfield residents. Emergency responders handled dozens of calls in a two-hour window, and some residents faced significant home damage requiring repairs.
Places
Development timeline
- 2026-08-10Severe storms strike Chesterfield County: High-wind thunderstorms begin around 6:30 p.m., bringing fallen trees and lightning strikes [source]
- 2026-08-10Emergency response peaks: Between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., Chesterfield Fire and EMS respond to approximately 32 storm-related calls; trees damage four homes, one lightning strike ignites house fire [source]
- 2026-08-10Road closures and power outages: Winterpock Road and Spring Run Road closed due to fallen trees and downed lines; over 14,000 Chesterfield customers lose power by 11 p.m. [source]
Related links
Read the original at WRIC 8News Local →
Sources
- Trees damage homes, close roads as storms sweep through Chesterfield
- Tree falls into Chesterfield home during storm