Virginia, 2014

Winter Weather in Virginia, January 5, 2014

January 5, 2014 · NWS RNK · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Numerous auto accidents were reported across the Piedmont of Virginia into the New River Valley as a weak wedge of high pressure allowed temperatures across much of the area to fall into the low 30s and upper 20s. An upper trough approaching from the west drew warm moisture from the Gulf of Mexico northward along the Appalachian chain to overrun the colder air at the surface.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
1
Injuries
0
Property damage
$18,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

Numerous auto accidents were reported across the Piedmont of Virginia into the New River Valley as a weak wedge of high pressure allowed temperatures across much of the area to fall into the low 30s and upper 20s. An upper trough approaching from the west drew warm moisture from the Gulf of Mexico northward along the Appalachian chain to overrun the colder air at the surface. This resulted in a light freezing rain event across much of the forecast region. Because of very cold temperatures just before the event, the ground was very cold, which allowed the ice to adhere to roadway surfaces. In many instances, motorists could not tell they were traveling across an icy surface until it was too late, resulting in numerous auto accidents. Temperatures warmed above freezing for most locations by late morning, although slick roads were reported into the afternoon.

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 5, 5:53 AM EST, 7 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 5, 5:53 AM EST, 7 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 5, 4:30 AM EST, 1 hour 30 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

2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Bedford

When
January 5, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Bedford forecast zone
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Newspaper
Coordinates
37.315, -79.524 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Icy roads appear to be to the cause of a crash Sunday morning involving a state trooper. Trooper Andrew Dayes was responding to an accident in Bedford County around 6 a.m. when he hit a patch of black ice on a bridge on Route 24. Police say Dayes lost control of his vehicle and hit a guard rail, before running down an embankment. We're told Dayes was wearing a seatbelt, and was not injured in the crash. However, police say his vehicle was totaled in the accident.

Winter Weather, Campbell

When
January 5, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Campbell forecast zone
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$8,000
Reported by
Newspaper
Coordinates
37.310, -79.119 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Kristine D. Kitts, 19, was traveling south along the 5900 block of Boonesboro Road around 7 a.m. when she lost control and ran off the left side of the road, police say. Police say Kitts was driving a 2005 Suzuki Sport Utility Vehicle. The SUV crossed a driveway and went over an embankment before turning over, police said. Investigators say Kitts was not wearing her seatbelt and was thrown from the SUV. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Icy road conditions at the time of the crash appear to be the contributing factor.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Winter Weather, Campbell2014-01-0519FemaleVehicle/Towed TrailerDirect

What these are

Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Virginia in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, January 2014

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: 486427, 486426.