Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 6 to 7, 1996

Record breaking snow across portions of southwest, west-central, and south-central Virginia on the 6th and 7th closed schools, businesses and many secondary roads for days, collapsed roofs, stranded motorists, halted mail deliveries, trash pickup, and chuch services, closed airports, resulted in one fatlity, and indirectly resulted in two other fatalities.Light snow develop across the mountains during the late evening hours on the 5th and early morning hours on the 6th. By the late morning hours, snowfall amounts generally ranged from 1 to 3 inches. The snow became heavy across southwest Virginia during the late morning hours on the 6th and spread north and east across the remainder of southwest, west-central and south-central Virginia. Sleet mixed with the snow at times across Charlotte, Halifax, and southern Pittsylvania Counties. Significant accumulations of snow continued in many areas until the afternoon hours on the 7th. Snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour were common, mainly along and west of the Blue Ridge. Snow depths by the evening hours on the 7th ranged from near 12 inches in Danville and South Boston in south-central Virginia and in Richlands in southwest Virginia to around 30 inches in northern portions of Rockbridge County. Average snow depths greater than 24 inches were recorded in Bath, Rockbridge, Alleghany, Botetourt, Amherst, Craig, Montgomery, and Giles Counties. A record 24 hour snowfall amount of 22.2 inches was established at the Roanoke Regional Airport. A record 24 hour snowfall amount of 20.0 inches was established at the Lynchburg Regional Airport. Total snowfall amounts included 36.5 inches in Burkes Garden, 35 inches at Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, and 34 inches in Blacksburg. The snow combined with winds of 15 to 30 mph with higher gusts on the 7th and 8th resulted in snow drifts up to 10 feet high. A state of emergency was declared for all of southwest, west-central and south-central Virginia.In Carroll County, an 80 year old man from Woodlawn died from hypothermia after he fell into a snow drift. A traffic accident cost the life of a Rockbridge County man. Another accident in Montgomery County resulted in the death of a truck driver.The weight of the snow collapsed the roof of a large building in Christiansburg and a green house in Amherst. Damage to the greenhouse and the plants inside was estimated at $20,000. Damage to the building in Christiansburg was $600,000. The weight of the snow collapsed a carport on top of a Corvette in Charlotte County. In addition, awnings collapsed in Henry and Alleghany Counties.Many areas hired contract personnel to aid in plowing roads. In the mountains, many secondary county roads remained unplowed for several days. During and shortly after the storm, some snow plows assisted emergency vehicles in reaching their destinations. The National Guard used several humvees and a few armored personnel carriers to transport medical and emergency personnel to work or to those in need. The mail was not delivered for several days in many areas. Stranded motorists filled up many motels along interstates. In the mountains on the 7th, travel in anything other than a 4-wheel drive vehicle was nearly impossible. The snow was so deep in this area than even some 4-wheel drive vehicles got stuck. As a result of hazardous conditions from the late morning hours on the 6th to the late afternoon hours on the 11th, there were numerous traffic accidents and several injuries. Several snow plows slid off of roads and overturned. The cost of snow removal, including overtime, salt, sand, equipment repairs, and contract personnel generally ranged from $100,000 to $400,000 per county.Numerous storm shelters were established across the area. Prior to the storm and after the storm, many grocery stores sold out of perishable items like break, milk, and eggs. There were several heroic life saving efforts to get medical attention, medicine or food to those stranded. There were only a few minor power outages reported.