Winter Storm in Virginia, December 14, 2003

Name: Winter Storm in Virginia, December 14, 2003
Start: 2003-12-14T03:00
End: 2003-12-14T09:00
Location: Virginia

December 14, 2003 · NWS LWX · 16 events in 16 counties and zones

An area of low pressure developed over the Gulf Coast region and tracked northeast into the Mid Atlantic region. The storm produced a mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain.

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.

An area of low pressure developed over the Gulf Coast region and tracked northeast into the Mid Atlantic region. The storm produced a mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain. The event ended as a long period of freezing rain. Snowfall totals across Northern and Central Virginia ranged from 5 to 7 inches. Some areas also accumulated up to 1/4 inch of ice.

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 Baltimore/Washington wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 13, 9:30 PM EST, 5 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 13, 9:30 PM EST, 5 hours 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
930 PM EST SAT DEC 13 2003

WILL MAKE A FEW WORDING CHANGES TO THE FIRST TWO PERIOD OF THE
ZONES...BUT OVERALL CURRENT FORECAST LOOKS GOOD. ND

PREVS AFD

.SHORT TERM...
FEW RADAR ECHOES ACRS SRN CWFA ATTM...MARKING THE LEADING EDGE OF
SLY FLW ALFT. THIS RGN ASSOC W/ F-VCTR CNVGNC AS MNTND PAST CPL
DSCNS. NO EVIDENCE ANY RTNS REACHING GRND. IF IT WERE...PTYPE LIKELY
FLURRIES BASED UPON THRML PROFILE AND DEGREE OF DRY AIR AT SFC.

LOPRES DVLPG ALNG GLFMEX CST ATTM...W/ PRES FALLS INVOF TN/AL BRDR.
WATER VAPOR LOOP DEPICTING STREAM OF RICH MSTR WORKING NWD AHD OF
SYSTM. SO...THIS SYSTM WL HV PLENTY OF JUICE TO WORK WITH.
MEANWHILE...HIPRES CNTRD OVR GRTLKS RDGG DWN ACRS CWFA. THUS...
CLASSIC OVERRUNNING EVENT SETTING UP...W/ CAD LIKELY IN THE SHEN
VLY.

GFS/META/GEM FAIRLY COMPARABLE TRACKING SFC/H8/H5 LO ACRS AREA
TMRW. THUS...CWFA WL BE IMPACTED BY RAIN/SNW LINE AS ATLC AIR
BECOMES WRAPPED WWD INTO AREA AHD OF SYSTM TMRW. TKNS SCHEMES AND
ENERGY METHOD SUGGEST QUICK CHGOVR FM SNW TO IP/FZRA. PTMC
HIGHLANDS/CATOCTINS WL STAY COLD THE LONGEST...AND MAY NOT CHG OVER
PER H8 LOW TRACK. FCST OVRALL WL REFLECT SNW TO SLEET/FZRA MUCH OF
AREA TNGT...AND THEN TO FZRA/PL W AND TO RAIN E OF BLURDG TMRW.
TEMPS WL REMAIN IN 30S THRUOUT TMRW.

IN SHORT...WATCH AREA WL BECOME WRNGS. ADVSRYS WL BE POSTED TO THE
E. SNW ACCUM WL BE BIGGER CONCERN TO THE N...ICE ACCUM TO THE S.

THX SRRNDG OFFICES FOR COORD/COLLAB.
&&

.LONGER TERM...

ON SUNDAY EVE...SFC LOW PUSHES NE OF CWA AND FLOW TURNS NW BRINGING
COLDER AIR IN AT MID LVLS. THIS WILL TURN LINGERING PRECIP BACK
OVER TO SNOW CWA WIDE BETWEEN 00Z-06Z FROM W TO E. MODELS NOW AGREE
THAT A PERIOD OF WRAPAROUND LIFT WILL PUSH THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT
MAINLY AROUND 06Z. WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AROUND SOME MINOR
ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS ARE ANTICIPATED.

EXPECT UP TO 3 INCHES OF ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATION ON FAR WESTERN
RIDGES SUN EVE THRU MON MORN...AROUND AN INCH OVER THE REST OF THE
NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA MAINLY BEFORE 3 AM...AND LESS THAN ONE INCH
IN SOUTHERN THIRD WHERE ACTIVITY SHUD BE MORE LIKE FLURRIES DUE TO
DRY SLOT TRYING TO BUILD IN. MAY BE LITTLE OR NO ACCUMULATION IN FAR
SE ZONES WHERE A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CHANGE OVER
BEFORE THE PRECIP COMES TO AN END.

SCT UPSLOPE SHSN ON THE WESTERN RIDGES MON MORN WITH DRY WX
ELSEWHERE AS DRIER AIR MOVES IN. MOSUNNY BY AFT CWA WIDE. HAVE
UNDERCUT MODEL HIGHS MON DUE TO EXPECTED SNOWPACK.

A QUICK BREAK TUE AHEAD OF NEXT SYSTEM FCST TO DEVELOP OVER CENTRAL
PLAINS AND PUSH EWARD ACROSS CWA WED. LIFT FROM THIS SYSTEM STARTS
TO ARRIVE AROUND 00Z WED AND RAIN WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA TUE NIGHT
AND CONTINUE THRU WED.

TEMPS LOOK WARM ENOUGH WITH RIDGING OVER CWA FOR LIQUID PRECIP
THROUGH WED AFT. HOWEVER WED EVE AS THE LOW PASSES COLD AIR MOVES IN
AS NW FLOW STARTS. UPPER LEVEL TROF BECOMES INVERTED OVER NEW
ENGLAND WHICH SLOWS EXIT OF LOW AND CAUSES LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND
SOME LIFT TO LINGER INTO WED NIGHT. EXPECTING PRECIP TO MIX WITH OR
CHANGE OVER TO SNOW FROM W TO E WED NIGHT. NO MAJOR ACCUMULATIONS
BUT A DUSTING POSSIBLE BEFORE PRECIP COMES TO AN END. SHSN LINGERING
IN MTNS INTO THU MIDDAY. REST OF CWA IN PTCLDY SKIES AS MOISTURE
WRAPS AROUND FROM GREAT LAKES AS LOW SLOWLY PUSHES INTO NEW
ENGLAND.
&&

.LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
DC...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING DCZ001.

MD...WINTER STORM WARNING TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING MDZ002>005.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING MDZ006>007...
MDZ009>011...MDZ013>014...MDZ016>018.

VA...WINTER STORM WARNING TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING VAZ021...
VAZ025>031...036>042...050>051.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING VAZ052>057.

WV...WINTER STORM WARNING TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT WVZ048>054.

MARINE...NONE.

HTS/MMARGRAF

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 13, 5:20 PM EST, 9 hours 40 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
520 PM EST SAT DEC 13 2003

DCZ001-MDZ002>007-009>011-013-014-016>018-VAZ021-025>031-036>042-
050>057-WVZ048>055-141045-
ALBEMARLE VA-ALLEGANY MD-ANNE ARUNDEL MD-
ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA VA-AUGUSTA VA-BERKELEY WV-
CALVERT MD-CARROLL MD-CHARLES MD-CLARKE VA-CULPEPER VA-
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DC-FAIRFAX VA-FAUQUIER VA-FREDERICK VA-
FREDERICK MD-GRANT WV-GREENE VA-HAMPSHIRE WV-HARDY WV-HARFORD MD-
HIGHLAND VA-HOWARD MD-JEFFERSON WV-KING GEORGE VA-LOUDOUN VA-
MADISON VA-MINERAL WV-MONTGOMERY MD-MORGAN WV-NELSON VA-
NORTHERN BALTIMORE MD-ORANGE VA-PAGE VA-PENDLETON WV-
PRINCE GEORGES MD-PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK VA-
RAPPAHANNOCK VA-ROCKINGHAM VA-SHENANDOAH VA-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE MD-
SPOTSYLVANIA VA-ST. MARYS MD-STAFFORD VA-WARREN VA-WASHINGTON MD-

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MARYLAND EAST OF GARRETT COUNTY
AND WEST OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY...THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA...NORTHERN
VIRGINIA...THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL SHENANDOAH VALLEY...AND THE
EASTERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...
A WINTER STORM WILL START TO AFFECT THE AREA TONIGHT.  CHECK THE
LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE FOR THE LATEST WATCHES...WARNINGS...OR
ADVISORIES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...
THE WINTER STORM WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE REGION THROUGH EARLY
MONDAY. SNOW...SLEET...FREEZING RAIN...AND RAIN ARE EXPECTED. IN
ADDITION...THE COMBINATION OF MELTING SNOW AND THE RAINFALL COULD BE
SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...AS WELL
AS LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. FLOODING OF SOME MAINSTEM
RIVERS IS ALSO POSSIBLE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED AT 400 AM SUNDAY MORNING FOR
PRECIPITATION REPORTS.

ND

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Frederick

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Frederick forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.195, -78.213 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Clarke

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Clarke forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.112, -77.997 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Loudoun

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Loudoun forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm, Fauquier

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Fauquier forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm, Shenandoah

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Shenandoah forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.858, -78.571 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Rockingham

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Rockingham forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.481, -78.872 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Highland

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Highland forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm, Augusta

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Augusta forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.109, -78.974 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Nelson

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Nelson forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.787, -78.887 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Albemarle

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Albemarle forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.029, -78.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Greene

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Greene forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.298, -78.467 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Orange

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Orange forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.246, -78.013 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Spotsylvania

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Spotsylvania forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.244, -77.558 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Culpeper

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Culpeper forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.486, -77.956 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Rappahannock

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Rappahannock forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.685, -78.159 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Warren

When: December 14, 3:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Warren forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.909, -78.207 (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

Every storm in Virginia in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in Virginia, December 2003

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: 5380077, 5380078, 5380079, 5380080, 5380081, 5380082, 5380083, 5380084, 5380085, 5380086, 5380087, 5380088, 5380089, 5380090, 5380091, 5380092.