Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 27 to 28, 1998

A surprise heavy wet snow fell from the late morning hours of Tuesday the 27th, to the predawn hours of Wednesday the 28th. Since the environment was near near the freezing mark through a deep layer, a wide variation in snow depths were seen. The variation was based on elevation. At elevations about 2000 feet, 20 to 30 inches of snow was deposited. Meanwhile, in the river valleys and hollows, snow depths of 8 to 15 inches were measured. Grundy and Clintwood both reported 8 inches on the ground. The Breaks Interstate Park had 17 inches. The melted down water amount was 2.5 inches at Grundy. The heaviest snow fell late in the afternoon and during the evening. Lightning and thunder were observed. The snow flakes were huge. Some residents described the flakes as the size of snowballs.The main effects from the storm were electric power outages and transportation stoppages. A state of emergency was declared in Virginia, with Dickenson and Buchanan Counties being 2 of the hardest hit counties. The state emergency response operation center remained activated through the first week of February. The hollows looked like a war zone, with all the fallen trees. Roads were blocked by snow or fallen trees. Bulldozers were even used to clear trees off some roads. In Dickenson County, 99 percent of the county lost electricity during the storm. On the 3rd of February, 1000 Buchanan residents were still without power. Three shelters were open in Dickenson County and 2 were set up in Buchanan County. Yet, not many citizens used these shelters. In Dickenson County, 18 homes sustained damage from the fallen trees or the weight of the snow.