Virginia, 1996

Heavy Snow in Virginia, February 2, 1996

February 2, 1996 · NWS LWX · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

A vigorous upper level jet streak induced low-level lifting of warm moist air over a stationary arctic front extending from Tidewater Virginia through the Tennessee Valley early on the 2nd, producing a 75 mile-wide band of heavy snow which extended from the central piedmont through the Northern Neck region. The northward extent of the 4-inch line crossed extreme southern Fairfax Co, southeastern…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
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  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS LWX wrote it up.

A vigorous upper level jet streak induced low-level lifting of warm moist air over a stationary arctic front extending from Tidewater Virginia through the Tennessee Valley early on the 2nd, producing a 75 mile-wide band of heavy snow which extended from the central piedmont through the Northern Neck region. The northward extent of the 4-inch line crossed extreme southern Fairfax Co, southeastern Prince William Co, and the southeast third of Fauquier Co. The heaviest snows fell in a narrow band from northern Albemarle Co through King George Co. Accumulations in these areas ranged from 8 to 13 inches, and snowfall rates were as high as 3 inches per hour.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Nelson

When
February 2, 5:00 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
Where
Nelson forecast zone
Coordinates
37.787, -78.887 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Albemarle

When
February 2, 5:00 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
Where
Albemarle forecast zone
Coordinates
38.029, -78.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Spotsylvania

When
February 2, 5:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
Spotsylvania forecast zone
Coordinates
38.244, -77.558 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, King George

When
February 2, 5:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where
King George forecast zone
Coordinates
38.274, -77.156 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Augusta

When
February 2, 6:00 AM EST to 8:00 AM EST
Where
Augusta forecast zone
Coordinates
38.109, -78.974 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Greene

When
February 2, 6:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where
Greene forecast zone
Coordinates
38.298, -78.467 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Madison

When
February 2, 6:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Coordinates
38.414, -78.279 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Culpeper

When
February 2, 6:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
Culpeper forecast zone
Coordinates
38.486, -77.956 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Stafford

When
February 2, 6:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
Stafford forecast zone
Coordinates
38.421, -77.457 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Virginia in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, February 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5541391, 5541392, 5541393, 5541394, 5541395, 5541554, 5541555, 5541556, 5541557.