Virginia, 1998

Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Virginia, February 23 to 24, 1998

February 23 to 24, 1998 · NWS LWX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

An area of low pressure moving along the middle Atlantic coastline produced a swath of snow across much of northern Virginia west of the Blue Ridge. Similar to previous episodes, accumulation was highly dependent on elevation.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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

Open the live radar over this ground

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 LWX wrote it up.

An area of low pressure moving along the middle Atlantic coastline produced a swath of snow across much of northern Virginia west of the Blue Ridge. Similar to previous episodes, accumulation was highly dependent on elevation. In general, 2 to 4 inches accumulated in Rockingham and Augusta Cos (VAZ025>026), with the highest totals over the mountains to the west and east. One to three inches accumulated across Shenandoah and Frederick Cos (VAZ027>028), though 4 to 8 inches fell across the higher mountains over the east and west portions of Frederick Co and the west portion of Shenandoah Co. A report of 9 inches was received from Blue Ridge Mountain on the Clarke-Frederick Co line. Four inches accumulated along the higher elevations of Skyline Drive; about an inch fell in the valleys just west of Skyline Drive. Farther west, in Highland Co, an average of 6 inches fell.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 winter weather, 1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Highland

When
February 23, 3:00 PM EST to February 24, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Highland forecast zone

Winter Weather, Augusta / Staunton / Waynesborro

When
February 23, 8:00 PM EST to February 24, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Augusta / Staunton / Waynesborro forecast zone
Coordinates
38.109, -78.974 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Rockingham / Harrisonburg

When
February 23, 8:00 PM EST to February 24, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Rockingham / Harrisonburg forecast zone
Coordinates
38.481, -78.872 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Shenandoah

When
February 23, 8:00 PM EST to February 24, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Shenandoah forecast zone
Coordinates
38.858, -78.571 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Frederick / Winchester

When
February 23, 8:00 PM EST to February 24, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Frederick / Winchester forecast zone
Coordinates
39.195, -78.213 (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.
Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Virginia in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, February 1998

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: 5635656, 5635657, 5635658, 5635659, 5635660.