Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 17, 2013

Name: Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 17, 2013
Start: 2013-01-17T13:00
End: 2013-01-17T21:00
Location: Virginia

January 17, 2013 · NWS MRX · 7 events in 4 counties and zones

Very strong lifting of a moist air mass in the presence of an upper level low pressure system resulted in a heavy wet snowfall event during the period from around noon est until early evening. e.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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 MRX wrote it up.

Very strong lifting of a moist air mass in the presence of an upper level low pressure system resulted in a heavy wet snowfall event during the period from around noon est until early evening. Atmospheric dynamics were so intense at times, that lightning was generated; i.e. thundersnow. Much of the snow accumulated across the region from Central East Tennessee northeast through Southwest Virginia, generally north of Interstate 40 and east of Interstate 75. The upper level low moved east from Northern to Northeast Georgia generating 3 to 5 inches of snow across the Great Valley of Central East Tennessee northeast to the Tri-Cities area. Much greater snowfall amounts occurred across Southwest Virginia with enhancement in the higher terrain in this region as well as over the mountains of Northeast Tennessee. In these areas, snowfall amounts ranged from 6 inches to as much as a foot in the highest elevations across Southwest Virginia.

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 Morristown, TN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 16, 6:27 PM EST, 18 hours 33 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 16, 6:27 PM EST, 18 hours 33 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 16, 3:55 PM EST, 21 hours 5 minutes before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Lee

When: January 17, 1:00 PM EST to 5:30 PM EST
Where: Lee forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.705, -83.128 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Four inches of snow was reported at Pennington Gap.

Heavy Snow, Scott

When: January 17, 1:30 PM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Scott forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.714, -82.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A snowfall amount of 6.5 inches was reported 3 miles west northwest of Gate City.

Heavy Snow, Scott

When: January 17, 1:30 PM EST to 5:30 PM EST
Where: Scott forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.714, -82.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Twelve inches of snow was reported five miles south southwest of Coeburn.

Heavy Snow, Wise

When: January 17, 1:30 PM EST to 5:55 PM EST
Where: Wise forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.954, -82.625 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Five inches of snow was reported at Wise.

Heavy Snow, Wise

When: January 17, 1:30 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Wise forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 36.954, -82.625 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Eight inches of snow was reported at Big Stone Gap.

Heavy Snow, Wise

When: January 17, 1:30 PM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where: Wise forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 36.954, -82.625 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Twelve inches of snow was reported at Wise.

Heavy Snow, Russell

When: January 17, 1:45 PM EST to 5:45 PM EST
Where: Russell forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.934, -82.096 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ten inches of snow was reported at Lebanon.

What these are

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 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in Virginia, January 2013

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: 421983, 421990, 421991, 421996, 421999, 422003, 421989.