Virginia, 2002

Frost and Freeze in Virginia, May 20 to 22, 2002

May 20 to 22, 2002 · NWS LWX · 16 events in 16 counties and zones

A cold area of high pressure from Canada pushed into the mid-Atlantic region on the 19th and remained overhead through the 22nd. This caused skies to clear, winds to drop to zero, and temperatures to plummet into the mid 20s to lower 30s during the early morning hours of the 20th, 21st, and 22nd.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 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
16

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.

A cold area of high pressure from Canada pushed into the mid-Atlantic region on the 19th and remained overhead through the 22nd. This caused skies to clear, winds to drop to zero, and temperatures to plummet into the mid 20s to lower 30s during the early morning hours of the 20th, 21st, and 22nd. A record low temperature of 31 degrees was set at Dulles International Airport on the morning of the 22nd. Several backyard gardeners and local farmers lost tender vegetation to the late season frost. Damaged vegetation included grapes, soybeans, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, cucumbers, beans, and young Christmas trees. Corn plants were expected to have stunted growth due to the damaging frost. Monetary losses were estimated to be in thousands of dollars.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 frost/freeze. Local standard time, as filed.

Frost/Freeze, Nelson

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Nelson forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
37.787, -78.887 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Frost/Freeze, Augusta / Staunton / Waynesborro

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Augusta / Staunton / Waynesborro forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
38.109, -78.974 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Frost/Freeze, Albemarle / Charlotttesville

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Albemarle / Charlotttesville forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
38.029, -78.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Frost/Freeze, Greene

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Greene forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
38.298, -78.467 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Frost/Freeze, Rockingham / Harrisonburg

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Rockingham / Harrisonburg forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
38.481, -78.872 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Frost/Freeze, Page

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Page forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
38.620, -78.484 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Frost/Freeze, Madison

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
38.414, -78.279 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Frost/Freeze, Culpeper

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Culpeper forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
38.486, -77.956 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Frost/Freeze, Rappahannock

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Rappahannock forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
38.685, -78.159 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Frost/Freeze, Fauquier

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Fauquier forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Frost/Freeze, Warren

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Warren forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
38.909, -78.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Frost/Freeze, Shenandoah

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Shenandoah forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
38.858, -78.571 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Frost/Freeze, Highland

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Highland forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Frost/Freeze, Frederick / Winchester

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Frederick / Winchester forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
39.195, -78.213 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Frost/Freeze, Clarke

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Clarke forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
39.112, -77.997 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Frost/Freeze, Loudoun

When
May 20, 4:00 AM EST to May 22, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Loudoun forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

What these are

Frost/Freeze
Frost or temperatures at or below freezing during the growing season, usually filed for crop damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Virginia in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, May 2002

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5297476, 5297477, 5297478, 5297479, 5297480, 5297481, 5297482, 5297483, 5297484, 5297485, 5297486, 5297487, 5297488, 5297489, 5297490, 5297491.