Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Virginia, February 22, 2001

Name: Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Virginia, February 22, 2001
Start: 2001-02-22T04:00
End: 2001-02-22T09:00
Location: Virginia

February 22, 2001 · NWS RNK · 27 events in 27 counties and zones

A burst of heavy snow during the morning of the 22nd accumulated from 2 to 4 inches resulting in hazardous travel conditions. Numerous accidents and injuries were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 27 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: 27

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 RNK wrote it up.

A burst of heavy snow during the morning of the 22nd accumulated from 2 to 4 inches resulting in hazardous travel conditions. Numerous accidents and injuries were reported. The most serious accident was a pile up of 10 tractor trailers and 10 cars on Interstate Route 81 southbound near Lexington in Rockbridge County. Several fires were started in this accident, damaging and closing the road until Saturday the 24th.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Blacksburg, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 22, 3:10 AM EST, 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 22, 3:10 AM EST, 50 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG, VA
310 AM EST THU FEB 22 2001

WILL REMAIN CONSISTENT WITH NO CHANGES PLANNED FOR THE UPCOMING
FORECAST.  COORDINATED WITH SURROUNDING OFFICES VIA BLAST-UP...
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE CURRENTLY IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE
CWA...AMOUNTS REFLECTING BEST GUESS OF SNOW/SLEET ACCUMULATIONS BY
THE END OF THE EVENT EARLY THIS AFTERNOON.

FCST DSCN...

FAST MOVING OPEN WAVE IS PROGRESSING RAPIDLY EAST ACROSS THE TN
VALLEY THIS MORNING.  IT IS TAPPING A VERY MOISTURE RICH ENVIRONMENT
TO THE SOUTH...AND THIS ADVECTION OF MOISTURE INTO THE COLD AIRMASS
TO THE NORTH IS MAKING FOR A MIXED BAG OF HYDROMETERS.  BASED ON
FCST SOUNDINGS...THE PRIMARY PRECIP TYPE FOR OUR AREA APPEARS TO BE
SNOW AND SLEET.  FREEZING RAIN POTENTIAL APPEARS TO BE LIMITED TO
OUR SRN MOST ZONES.  THE QPF FROM ALL MODELS IS AROUND A HALF
INCH...SO THE POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR 5 INCHES OF SNOW IF IT REMAINS
ALL SNOW.  SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN WILL CUT DOWN ON THESE
AMOUNTS...JUSTIFYING THE LOWER ACCUMULATION FCST FOR THE SRN
TIER COUNTIES.

THE EVENT APPREARS THAT IT WILL BE RELATIVELY SHORT WITH THE BULK OF
THE PRECIP FALLING WITHIN A 6 HR WINDOW...12-18 UTC.  SNOW INTENSITY
WL LIKELY BE ON THE ORDER OF AN INCH AN HOUR...SO A HEADS UP TO THE
NEWS MEDIA NOT TO PLAY DOWN THIS EVENT.

CUT FCST HIGHS ON FRIDAY BY ABOUT 10 DEG F FROM MOS TMAX DUE TO
FCST SNOW COVER.

FCSTID = 11
ROA   33  30  47  30 / 100  10   0   0
LYH   32  29  47  28 / 100  10   0   0
DAN   35  31  52  32 / 100  10   0   0
BLF   34  28  42  30 / 100  20   0   0
LWB   30  27  40  25 / 100  20   0   0
BCB   33  29  42  28 / 100  10   0   0
TNB   35  30  42  30 / 100  10   0   0

.RNK...
NC...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TODAY NCZ001>006-018>020.
VA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TODAY VAZ007-009>020-022>024-
     032>035-043>047-058-059.
WV...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TODAY WVZ042>045.

PM

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 21, 10:15 PM EST, 5 hours 45 minutes before

NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059-
WVZ042>045-220930-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG, VA
1015 PM EST WED FEB 21 2001

...WINTER WEATHER IS EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT AND ON THURSDAY...

COLD AIR WILL CONTINUE TO FILTER INTO THE REGION OVERNIGHT. AT THE
SAME TIME LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE GULF COAST AND TRACK
NORTHEASTWARD...REDEVELOPING ALONG THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST THURSDAY
AFTERNOON. COUNTIES IN EXTREME SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND ALONG THE
VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA BORDER SHOULD EXPECT A MIX OF
SNOW...SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN...POSSIBLY CHANGING OVER TO RAIN BY
THE TIME THE PRECIPITATION ENDS THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THE MAIN
PRECIPITATION TYPE WILL BE SNOW FOR THE REST OF SOUTHWESTERN
VIRGINIA AND IN SOUTHEASTERN WEST VIRGINIA.

CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE RAPIDLY LATE TONIGHT IN THE MOUNTAIN
EMPIRE OF VIRGINIA AND THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA...
WITH THE WINTRY WEATHER SPREADING RAPIDLY EASTWARD EARLY THURSDAY.
ONCE THE SNOW STARTS IT IS LIKELY TO INCREASE IN INTENSITY VERY
QUICKLY. THE BULK OF THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION WILL OCCUR IN THE
MORNING THROUGH MIDDAY IN THE WEST...AND FROM MID MORNING THROUGH
MID AFTERNOON EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE.

SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 2 TO 5 INCHES...HEAVIEST IN THE
NEW RIVER VALLEY AND ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS. LIGHTER AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3
INCHES ARE EXPECTED IN SOUTHSIDE VIRGINIA AND THE NORTHWESTERN
PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA...WHERE SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN WILL HOLD
DOWN ACCUMULATIONS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR
LATER STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS DEVELOBPING WINTER WEATHER EVENT.

NOGUEIRA

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

26 heavy snow, 1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Wythe

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Wythe forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.917, -81.079 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Campbell / Lynchburg

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Campbell / Lynchburg forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.310, -79.119 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Amherst

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Amherst forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.605, -79.145 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Appomattox

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Appomattox forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.372, -78.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Bath

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Bath forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 38.059, -79.741 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Pittsylvania / Danville

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Pittsylvania / Danville forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.704, -79.396 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Bland

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Bland forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.134, -81.130 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Botetourt

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Botetourt forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.557, -79.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Buckingham

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Buckingham forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.572, -78.529 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Henry / Martinsville

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Henry / Martinsville forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.689, -79.926 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Bedford / Bedford

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Bedford / Bedford forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.315, -79.524 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Charlotte

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Charlotte forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.012, -78.662 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Craig

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Craig forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.481, -80.212 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Floyd

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Floyd forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.932, -80.362 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Franklin

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.992, -79.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Giles

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Giles forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.314, -80.704 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Grayson

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Grayson forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.657, -81.225 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Halifax

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Halifax forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.767, -78.937 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Rockbridge / Buena Vista / Lexington

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Rockbridge / Buena Vista / Lexington forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.774, -79.418 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Roanoke / Salem / Roanoke

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Roanoke / Salem / Roanoke forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.258, -80.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Patrick

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Patrick forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.678, -80.284 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Alleghany / Clifton Forge / Covington

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Alleghany / Clifton Forge / Covington forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.791, -80.000 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Pulaski

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Pulaski forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.098, -80.645 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Carroll / Galax

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Carroll / Galax forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.697, -80.829 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Montgomery / Radford

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Montgomery / Radford forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.174, -80.387 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Smyth

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Smyth forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.844, -81.537 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Tazewell

When: February 22, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Tazewell forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.125, -81.561 (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.
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

Every storm in Virginia in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history Warnings in Virginia, February 2001

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: 5232431, 5232432, 5232433, 5232434, 5232435, 5232436, 5232437, 5232438, 5232439, 5232440, 5232441, 5232442, 5232443, 5232444, 5232445, 5232446, 5232447, 5232448, 5232449, 5232450, 5232451, 5232765, 5232870, 5232871, 5232872, 5232873, 5232874.