Ice Storm and Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 29 to 30, 2005

Name: Ice Storm and Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 29 to 30, 2005
Start: 2005-01-29T12:00
End: 2005-01-30T06:58
Location: Virginia

January 29 to 30, 2005 · NWS RNK · 15 events in 15 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 15 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: 15

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 low pressure system tracking along the east coast brought a wintry mix of precipitation to the region. Ice accretion was one quarter of an inch in most locations with a few isolated locations in Charlotte Co. receiving one half inch accretion. Snowfall was very much a secondary element with 1 to 3 inches being the norm, except for Grayson Co., where amounts ranged from 4 to 6 inches.

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 Jan 29, 9:55 AM EST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 29, 9:55 AM EST, 2 hours 5 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
955 AM EST SAT JAN 29 2005

.SHORT TERM (REST OF TODAY)...

LEADING EDGE OF PRECIP AREA NOW ENTERING THE NEW RIVER VALLEY WITH
PTYPE MAINLY -SN EXCEPT FAR WRN FRINGES WHERE MAINLY A -FZRA EVENT
SO FAR. MORNING RAOBS SHOW A WARM LAYER ALOFT BUT OFFSET BY
SUBSTANTIAL DRY AIR THAT WILL ALLOW THE COLUMN TO COOL BACK TO MORE
OF A SNOW PROFILE FOR THE AFTN. THIS ALSO MORE IN LINE WITH COLDER
GFS SOLN FROM EARLIER EXCEPT FAR W...OUTSIDE WEDGE WHERE APPARENT
WARM TONGUE IS DEEPER AND PRECIP HAS NOT BEEN HEAVY ENOUGH SO FAR TO
OFFSET WARMING PER NAM. NEW MODELS SUGGEST BEST QPF TO LIE ACROSS NW
NC/SW VA THRU THIS AFTN WHILE LIGHTER TOTALS OCCUR FURTHER NE INTO
VERY DRY AIR. SINCE THINK MORE OF A -SN NATURE S...PLAN TO MAKE SOME
UPWARD ADJUSTS TO SNOW TOTALS FROM TNB E TO SOUTHSIDE VA...GNRLY
MORE IN THE 6-10 RANGE MOUNTAINS AND 4-8 NEAR THE VA/NC BORDER. WILL
ALSO NEED TO CUT BACK ON SNOW TOTALS WRN PTNS OF THE MOUNTAIN EMPIRE
INTO MERCER/SUMMERS WHERE ICE/SLEET ACCUMS OF A HALF INCH OR MORE
APPEAR MORE LIKELY THAN HEAVY SNOW AT THIS POINT. ALSO SOME CONCERN
ABOUT QPF AND WARNING TOTALS FAR N ESPCLY BY TNGT AS DYNAMICS PASS S
AND COASTAL STARTS TO TAKE OVER. WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THIS THIS AFTN.
OTRW WILL CONT HIGH POPS/GOING WARNINGS FOR DVLPG SNOW FROM SW TO NE
THRU THE AFTN WITH ONLY SMALL ADJUSTS TO TEMPS FOR NOW.
&&

.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... (ISSUED 621 AM EST SAT JAN 29 2005)

AVIATION...

KFCX 88D THIS MORNING SHOWED A MIXTURE OF SNOW AND SLEET ADVANCING
EAST INTO WESTERN PORTIONS OF FA. VFR CONDITIONS EARLY THIS MORNING
WILL BEGIN TO DETERIORATE QUICKLY FROM SW TO NE. CEILINGS AND
VISIBILITIES WILL DROP INTO MVFR AND IFR WITH SNOW AND/OR SLEET
AROUND 14Z IN THE WEST TO AROUND 18Z IN THE EAST. THERE IS A HIGH
PROBABILITY OF SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS AFT 18Z ACROSS THE
REGION WITH IFR/LIFR CIGS/VSBYS. ICING WILL ALSO BECOME AN ISSUE.
THE HEAVIEST SNOW WITH BEST LIFT WITH RICHEST MOISTURE WILL FALL
AFTER 06Z AT MOST AIRPORTS. PCPN WILL CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY MORNING
BUT WILL IMPROVE BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. POOR FLYING CONDITIONS
EXPECTED DURING THE PERIOD WITH THE WINTER STORM.

PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... (ISSUED 320 AM EST SAT JAN 29 2005)

SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT)...

CLOSED 5H LOW OVR OK HAS DEEPENED DURING PAST 24 HOURS. STG DYNAMICS
AND LIFT ARE FORECAST WITH THIS SYSTEM. TIMING HAS NOT CHANGED
MUCH...WITH PCPN STARTING IN THE FAR SW THIS MORNING...SPREADING
INTO THE NE COUNTIES BY 00Z AND EXITING THE FAR ERN CWA SUN AFTN.

NAM/ETA AND GFS ARE SIMILAR ON 00Z RUNS WITH TIMING. MODELS TAKES
THE ASSOCIATED 8H LOW ACRS KY TO OFF THE SE VA COAST BY 00Z MON. GFS
TRACK OF 5H LOW FURHTER SOUTH ACROSS NC. GFS IS ALSO SHOWING
IMPRESSIVE FRONTOGENESIS AT 00Z AND ESPECIALLY 06Z TNGT.

EVEN GOING WITH THE GFS VERTICAL TEMP PROFILES...THERE IS STILL A
POTENTIAL FOR A MIX OF SNOW AND SLEET IN THE FAR SRN AND SERN CWA
OVERNIGHT. THIS WILL CUT DOWN ON TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS BUT THIS IS
ALREADY WELL DEPICTED IN THE FCST.

PCPN RATES MAY BE ESPECIALLY HVY WHEN LOW LVL JET APPROACHES AND
BACKS THE WINDS OVERNIGHT. THE S OR SE COMPONENT OF THE 8H WINDS
FAVOR AN AXIS OF HEAVIER QPF ALONG THE ERN SLOPES OF THE BLUE
RIDGE.

WL NOT BE MAKING BIG CHANGES TO QPF OR SNOW AMOUNTS..SO WITH AVERAGE
SNOWFALL NEAR 5 INCHES FOR THE STORM WILL UPGRADE ADVISORY TO
WARNING FOR ENTIRE CWA.

LONG TERM (TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)...

IN THE MEDIUM RANGE SOLUTIONS...THERE REMAINS A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY
DURING THE PERIOD. MADE ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS FOR TUESDAY THRU
FRIDAY. AFTER LOOKING AT THE 00Z CANADIAN AND GFS SOLUTIONS...
BELIEVE THAT THE EAST WILL HAVE LOWER THAN AVERAGE HEIGHTS. TRIMMED
TEMPERATURES A FEW DEGREES FOR WEDNESDAY INTO FRIDAY. CONTINUED DRY
FORECAST FOR NOW...AS ONE SYSTEM CUTS TO OUR SOUTH. ANOTHER BOUNDARY
DROPS INTO THE NORTHWEST TOWARDS THE END OF THE WEEK.

AVIATION...

SATELLITE LOOP INDICATED HIGH CLOUDS SPREADING NORTHEAST ACROSS
OUR AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE EARLY THIS
MORNING THROUGH 12Z. HOWEVER...WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BEGIN TO
DETERIORATE QUICKLY FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE REGION AS THE DAY
PROGRESSES. CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES WILL DROP WITH SNOW AND/OR
SLEET BY 14Z IN THE WEST TO 18Z IN THE EAST. THERE IS A HIGH
PROBABILITY OF SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS FROM 18Z ON ACROSS
THE REGION WITH IFR/LIFR CIGS/VSBYS. ICING WILL ALSO BECOME AN
ISSUE. IT APPEARS THAT THE HEAVIEST SNOW WITH BEST LIFT AND
RICHEST MOISTURE WILL FALL AFTER 06Z EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE
MOUNTAINS. POOR FLYING CONDITIONS EXPECTED DURING THE PERIOD WITH
THE WINTER STORM.

&&

.RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
VA...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR VAZ018-VAZ019-VAZ020 FROM NOON
     SATURDAY UNTIL NOON SUNDAY.
  ...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR VAZ007-VAZ009-VAZ010-VAZ011-VAZ012-
     VAZ013-VAZ014-VAZ015-VAZ016-VAZ017-VAZ032 FROM 6 AM
     SATURDAY UNTIL NOON SUNDAY.
  ...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR VAZ022-VAZ023-VAZ024-VAZ033-VAZ034-
     VAZ035-VAZ043-VAZ044-VAZ045-VAZ046-VAZ047-VAZ058-VAZ059
     FROM NOON SATURDAY UNTIL 5 PM SUNDAY.
NC...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR NCZ001-NCZ002-NCZ003-NCZ004-NCZ018-
     NCZ019-NCZ020 FROM 6 AM SATURDAY UNTIL NOON SUNDAY.
  ...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR NCZ005-NCZ006 FROM NOON SATURDAY
     UNTIL 5 PM SUNDAY.
WV...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR WVZ042 FROM 6 AM SATURDAY UNTIL NOON
     SUNDAY.
  ...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR WVZ043-WVZ044-WVZ045 FROM NOON
     SATURDAY UNTIL NOON SUNDAY.

&&

JH

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 29, 10:20 AM EST, 1 hour 40 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1020 AM EST SAT JAN 29 2005

NCZ001>004-018>020-VAZ007-009>017-032-WVZ042-301102-
ALLEGHANY NC-ASHE NC-BLAND VA-CARROLL VA-FLOYD VA-GILES VA-
GRAYSON VA-MERCER WV-MONTGOMERY VA-PATRICK VA-PULASKI VA-SMYTH VA-
STOKES NC-SURRY NC-TAZEWELL VA-WATAUGA NC-WILKES NC-WYTHE VA-
YADKIN NC-
1020 AM EST SAT JAN 29 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA...
WESTERN AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA...AS WELL AS NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON EST SUNDAY...

A WINTRY MIX OF FREEZING RAIN...SLEET...AND SNOW WILL CONTINUE
DURING THE OVERNIGHT.  THE PRECIPITATION MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES.

ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW AND SLEET WILL BE HIGHLY VARIABLE ACROSS THE
REGION DEPENDING ON THE FORM OF PRECIPITATION IN YOUR AREA.  IF THE
PRECIPITATION FALLS AS ALL SNOW...AMOUNTS WILL RANGE FROM 4 TO 8
INCHES.  IF THE PRECIPITATION FALLS AS SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN...
SNOW TOTALS WILL BE LESS...BUT ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE MORE...
WITH POTENTIAL ICE ACCRETIONS OF AROUND ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH

FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT...
HTTP://WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/RNK(LOWER CASE).

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AFTER SUNDAY AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS MAY BE CONTACTED FOR SNOWFALL AND ICE AMOUNTS.

VAZ018>020-WVZ043>045-301104-
ALLEGHANY VA-BATH VA-CRAIG VA-GREENBRIER WV-MONROE WV-SUMMERS WV-
1020 AM EST SAT JAN 29 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA...
WESTERN AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA...AS WELL AS NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON EST SUNDAY...

A WINTRY MIX OF SNOW...SLEET...AND FREEZING RAIN WILL CONTINUE
DURING THE OVERNIGHT.  THE PRECIPITATION MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES.

ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW AND SLEET WILL BE HIGHLY VARIABLE ACROSS THE
REGION DEPENDING ON THE FORM OF PRECIPITATION IN YOUR AREA.  IF THE
PRECIPITATION FALLS AS ALL SNOW...TOTAL AMOUNTS WILL RANGE FROM 3 TO
6 INCHES.  IF THE PRECIPITATION FALLS AS SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN...
SNOW TOTALS WILL BE LESS...BUT ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE MORE...
WITH POTENTIAL ICE ACCRETIONS OF AROUND ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH.

FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT...
HTTP://WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/RNK(LOWER CASE).

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AFTER SUNDAY AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS MAY BE CONTACTED FOR SNOWFALL AMOUNTS.

NCZ005-006-VAZ022>024-033>035-043>047-058-059-301105-
AMHERST VA-APPOMATTOX VA-BEDFORD VA-BOTETOURT VA-BUCKINGHAM VA-
CAMPBELL VA-CASWELL NC-CHARLOTTE VA-FRANKLIN VA-HALIFAX VA-HENRY VA-
PITTSYLVANIA VA-ROANOKE VA-ROCKBRIDGE VA-ROCKINGHAM NC-
1020 AM EST SAT JAN 29 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA...
WESTERN AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA...AS WELL AS NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM EST SUNDAY...

A WINTRY MIX OF SNOW...SLEET...AND FREEZING RAIN WILL CONTINUE
DURING THE OVERNIGHT.  THE PRECIPITATION MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES.

ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW AND SLEET WILL BE HIGHLY VARIABLE ACROSS THE
REGION DEPENDING ON THE FORM OF PRECIPITATION IN YOUR AREA.  IF THE
PRECIPITATION FALLS AS ALL SNOW...TOTAL AMOUNTS WILL RANGE FROM 2 TO
5 INCHES.  IF THE PRECIPITATION FALLS AS SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN...
SNOW TOTALS WILL BE LESS...BUT ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE MORE...
WITH POTENTIAL ICE ACCRETIONS OF AROUND ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH.

FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT...
HTTP://WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/RNK(LOWER CASE).

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AFTER SUNDAY AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS MAY BE CONTACTED FOR SNOWFALL AND ICE AMOUNTS.

07

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 ice storm, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Tazewell

When: January 29, 12:00 PM EST to January 30, 6:58 AM EST
Where: Tazewell forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.125, -81.561 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Smyth

When: January 29, 12:00 PM EST to January 30, 6:58 AM EST
Where: Smyth forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.844, -81.537 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Bland

When: January 29, 12:00 PM EST to January 30, 6:58 AM EST
Where: Bland forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.134, -81.130 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Montgomery

When: January 30, 1:00 AM EST to 6:58 AM EST
Where: Montgomery forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.174, -80.387 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Grayson

When: January 30, 1:00 AM EST to 6:58 AM EST
Where: Grayson forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.657, -81.225 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Floyd

When: January 30, 1:00 AM EST to 6:58 AM EST
Where: Floyd forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.932, -80.362 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Roanoke

When: January 30, 1:00 AM EST to 6:58 AM EST
Where: Roanoke forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.258, -80.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Rockbridge

When: January 30, 1:00 AM EST to 6:58 AM EST
Where: Rockbridge forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.774, -79.418 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Franklin

When: January 30, 1:00 AM EST to 6:58 AM EST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.992, -79.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Bedford

When: January 30, 1:00 AM EST to 6:58 AM EST
Where: Bedford forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.315, -79.524 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Amherst

When: January 30, 1:00 AM EST to 6:58 AM EST
Where: Amherst forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.605, -79.145 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Henry

When: January 30, 1:00 AM EST to 6:58 AM EST
Where: Henry forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.689, -79.926 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Campbell

When: January 30, 1:00 AM EST to 6:58 AM EST
Where: Campbell forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.310, -79.119 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Appomattox

When: January 30, 1:00 AM EST to 6:58 AM EST
Where: Appomattox forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.372, -78.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Charlotte

When: January 30, 1:00 AM EST to 6:58 AM EST
Where: Charlotte forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.012, -78.662 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Ice Storm: Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.
Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Virginia in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Virginia, January 2005

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: 5433268, 5433269, 5433270, 5433271, 5433272, 5433273, 5433274, 5433275, 5433276, 5433277, 5433278, 5433279, 5433280, 5433281, 5433282.