Winter Storm, Lee
- When
- December 30, 5:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:00 AM EST
- Where
- Lee forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 36.705, -83.128 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm in Virginia, December 30 to 31, 1997
A series of fasta-moving upper level disturbances moved across southwest Virginia, causing heavy snow shower activity. Amounts were generally 3" to 5", with locally higher amounts in higher elevations.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 5
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 MRX wrote it up.
A series of fasta-moving upper level disturbances moved across southwest Virginia, causing heavy snow shower activity. Amounts were generally 3" to 5", with locally higher amounts in higher elevations.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Russell
- When
- December 30, 5:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:00 AM EST
- Where
- Russell forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 36.934, -82.096 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Scott
- When
- December 30, 5:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:00 AM EST
- Where
- Scott forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 36.714, -82.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Washington / Bristol
- When
- December 30, 5:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:00 AM EST
- Where
- Washington / Bristol forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 36.661, -82.074 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Wise / Norton
- When
- December 30, 5:00 AM EST to December 31, 11:00 AM EST
- Where
- Wise / Norton forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 36.954, -82.625 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heavy Snow in Illinois, December 30, 1997
- Heavy Snow in New York, December 30, 1997
- High Wind in Nebraska, December 30, 1997
- Winter Storm in Tennessee, December 30 to 31, 1997
- Heavy Snow in North Carolina, December 30 to 31, 1997
- High Wind in South Dakota, December 30, 1997
- Lake-Effect Snow in Michigan, December 30 to 31, 1997
- Winter Weather in Illinois, December 30, 1997
- Winter Weather in South Carolina, December 30 to 31, 1997
- High Wind in Kansas, December 30, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Indiana, December 30, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Kentucky, December 30, 1997
More
Every storm in Virginia in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, December 1997
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: 5626516, 5626517, 5626518, 5626519, 5626520.