Right on the heels of the second surge of bitterly, record cold air to affect the forecast area within the same week and only five days since the previous significant snow storm, yet another significant winter storm impacted the forecast area. S.
Every event with a place to put it; 19 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS RNK wrote it up.
Right on the heels of the second surge of bitterly, record cold air to affect the forecast area within the same week and only five days since the previous significant snow storm, yet another significant winter storm impacted the forecast area. This storm was result of complex series of low pressure areas tracking along a stalled front across the southeast states and an upper-trough embedded within a very deep and persistent long-wave trough across the eastern U.S. Snow began to fall during the late morning and early afternoon spreading northward during the late afternoon and evening. Unlike the President's Day snow storm, this storm brought significantly greater two foot amounts to the northern portions of the forecast area, especially along the Interstate 64 corridor, while markedly less snow fell in the southern parts of the forecast area. The vast majority of winter storm-criteria snowfall (4 inches east to 5 inches west/6 hours) fell north of U.S. 460 with this event. Very little snowfall fell south of U.S. 460 and especially across the Virginia and North Carolina Piedmont. Snowfall amounts ranged from less than inch across most counties near the North Carolina border and east of Interstate 77 to two feet of snow across northern and western Greenbrier county West Virginia. However, at the end of this event as warm air aloft spread into the region, precipitation changed to freezing rain bringing ice accumulations of 1/10 to 1/4 inch to a number of counties east of Interstate 81.
The heavy snow across the northern parts of the forecast area resulted in two avalanches, a rare event in Virginia. One occurred on Virginia Route 623 in Tazewell county near Burkes Garden and the other was on U.S. 220 in Alleghany county near Iron Gate. In addition, there were over 100 traffic accidents and disabled vehicles across Virginia alone.
The following are snow and ice totals reported from southwest and south central Virginia counties within the Blacksburg National Weather Service Forecast area:
Snowfall:|Alleghany County - 11.0 inches 4E of Covington to 8.0 inches in Alleghany,|Amherst County - 11.0 inches 2SW Pera to 6.0 inches at Elon,|Appomattox County - 3.0 inches at Appomattox,|Bath County - 15 inches at Warm Springs to 13 inches at Bath Alum,|Bedford County - 9.5 inches at Big Island to 4.0 inches 5WSW of Bedford,|Bland County - 7.0 inches at Ceres to 6.0 inches at Bland,|Botetourt County - 12.0 inches at Fincastle to 9.0 inches at Buchanan,|Buckingham County - 4.0 inches 1NW of Gold Hill to 1.8 inches 7N of Dillwyn,|Campbell County - 5.0 inches City of Lynchburg, 3.0 inches at Concord and at the Lynchburg Airport to 2.0 inches at Rustburg,|Carroll County - 1.5 inches 2SSE of Byllesby,|Craig County - 18.0 inches at New Castle,|Floyd County - 1.3 inches at Check,|Franklin County - 3.5 inches at Rocky Mount to 2.3 inches at Callaway,|Giles County - 8.0 inches 2SE Mountain Lake to 6.1 inches at Pearisburg,|Grayson County - 1.5 inches 3SSW of Elk Creek,|Montgomery County - 9.0 inches 5NNE of Blacksburg, 7.5 inches Blacksburg, 2.1 inches Christiansburg, to < 1.0 inch at Pilot,|Patrick County - 1.0 inch 2W Critz,|Pulaski County - 10.5 inches at Pulaski to 2.8 inches at Draper,|Roanoke County - 11.5 inches at Catawba, 8.8 inches at Roanoke, 7.0 inches at Salem, to 3.0 inches 3NNW Boones Mill,|Rockbridge County - 16.0 inches 3NW Rockbridge Baths and Zack 15.5 inches at Lexington, to 12.0 inches at Buena Vista,|Smyth County - 4.0 inches at Chilhowie to 3.5 inches 2N Marion,|Tazewell County - 9.0 inches at Tannersville to 7.0 inches at North Tazewell,|Wythe County - 2.3 inches in Wytheville.
Ice:|Alleghany County - 0.10 inch 4E of Covington,|Bedford County - 0.25 inch 5WSW of Bedford to 0.10 inch 5NNW of Forest,|Buckingham County - 0.10 inch 7N Dillwyn and in Buckingham,|Campbell County - 0.30 inch at Altavista to 0.13 inch 1SE of Timberlake,|Floyd County - 0.10 inch at Floyd,|Franklin County - 0.25 inch at Boones Mill to 0.10 inch 3ESE of Roanoke Mountain,|Henry County - 0.10 inch 6W of Bassett,|Pittsylvania County - 0.10 inch at Pittsville,|Pulaski County - 0.10 inch 2S Snowville and in Pulaski,|Roanoke - 0.25 inch 3NNW of Boones Mill to 0.20 inch in Salem,|Smyth County - 0.10 inch at Chilhowie,|Tazewell County - 0.10 inch at North Tazewell.
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 Feb 21, 7:05 AM EST, 55 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
705 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015
.SYNOPSIS...
WINTER STORM WILL IMPACT THE MID ATLANTIC STATES TODAY WITH A
WINTRY MIX. SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW...SLEET...AND
FREEZING RAIN ARE LIKELY TODAY AND TONIGHT.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
AS OF 600 AM EST SATURDAY
LOW PRESSURE OVER THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY IS QUICKLY ADVANCING
NORTHEAST. A LARGE SWATH OF PRECIPITATION COVERS THE TENNESSEE AND
OHIO VALLEYS...ALL OF WHICH WILL CROSS THE MOUNTAINS INTO THE MID
ATLANTIC STATES TODAY. AT 600 AM MIXED SNOW AND SLEET WAS ALREADY
BEING REPORTED ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA HIGH COUNTRY AND INTO THE
NEW RIVER VALLEY OF VIRGINIA...AND THE GREENBRIER VALLEY OF WEST
VIRGINIA. RADAR SHOWS THIS PRECIPITATION ADVANCING QUICKLY TO THE
EAST...SO AREAS EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE WILL SOON SEE THE ONSET OF
WINTRY PRECIPITATION TOO.
SOUTHWEST WINDS AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING STORM SYSTEM IS BRINGING
WARMER AIR NORTHWARD INTO THE REGION...DISPLACING THE COLD ARCTIC
AIR WITH TIME. THIS WILL BE A GRADUAL PROCESS...TAKING MUCH OF THE
DAY TO CLIMB ANYWERE CLOSE TO THE FREEZING MARK. SURFACE
TEMPERATURES THIS MORNING WERE STILL IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AND
TEENS...THUS ONSET OF ANY PRECIPITATION THIS MORNING WILL LIKELY
BE SNOW. WARMER AIR ALOFT WILL WORK ITS WAY INTO THE
AREA...RESULTING IN A CHANGE FROM SNOW TO SLEET AS WE PROGRESS
THROUGH THE MORNING...THEN EVENTUALLY TO FREEZING RAIN FOR THIS
AFTERNOON.
THERE WILL LIKELY BE A WIDE RANGE OF SNOW/SLEET AMOUNTS ACROSS THE
AREA...WITH THE HEAVIEST ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW OCCURRING NORTH OF
INTERSTATE 64...WHERE FORECAST MODEL SOUNDINGS MAINTAIN THE COLD
AIR THE LONGEST. A PRONOUNCED +1 TO +3 DEGREE C WARM NOSE ALOFT
WILL MOVE INTO AREAS SOUTH OF I64 LATER THIS MORNING...SO IT WILL
BE HARD TO MAINTAIN A PTYPE OF ALL SNOW ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF
THE FORECAST AREA...WITH THE GRADIENT OF SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION
GOING DOWN AS YOU HEAD SOUTH TOWARD THE VA/NC BORDER. HOWEVER...
UNTIL TEMPERATURES CLIMB ABOVE 32 DEGREES...CAN'T UNDERPLAY THIS
EVENT. EVEN AFTER THE SNOW CHANGES TO SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN
THERE WILL LIKELY BE AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE THE AIR
TEMPERATURE CAN CLIMB ABOVE FREEZING. EVEN THEN...THE GROUND HAS
BEEN FROZEN FOR SO LONG THAT ICING WILL LIKELY PERSIST WELL BEYOND
WHAT WE WOULD NORMALLY EXPERIENCE DO TO THE ARCTIC ORIGIN OF THIS
PAST WEEKS AIRMASS. AS SUCH...WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES
WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT...MANY AREAS NOT
EXPERIENCING ANY SIGNIFICANT MELTING OF THE SNOW/SLEET THAT FALLS
TODAY...NOR THE EXISTING SNOW ON THE GROUND.
MODELS INSIST THAT TEMPERATURES WILL EVENTUALLY RISE INTO THE
LOWER 30S LATER TODAY...AND THEN STEADILY CLIMB INTO THE MID TO
UPPER 30S DURING THE OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. THIS SEEMS REASONABLE PER
THE SURFACE LOW TRACKING TO OUR WEST...PUTTING US IN THE WARM
SECTOR...ALBEIT BRIEFLY...BEFORE THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT PASSES
SUNDAY. WITH TEMPERATURES RISING ABOVE 32...THE WARMER
AIR...RELATIVE TO THE COLDER GROUND...WILL LIKELY RESULT IN PATCHY
DENSE FOG.
&&
.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF 500 AM EST SATURDAY...
A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH EAST ACROSS THE REGION ON SUNDAY. DEEP
MOISTURE ALONG THE BOUNDARY SAGS TO THE SOUTHEAST BY SUNDAY
AFTERNOON WITH GRADUAL DRYING AND COLDER AIR WORKING IN THE WEST
WITH SOME UPSLOPE RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS EXPECTED ON WESTERN SLOPES.
RAIN IS LIKELY IN EASTERN PORTIONS THROUGH MIDDAY...SO KEEPING HIGH
POPS IN THE EAST EARLY THEN TAPER OFF IN THE AFTERNOON. IT SHOULD BE
THE WARMEST DAY SEEN IN A LONG TIME WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES SUNDAY
FROM THE LOWER 30S IN THE NORTHWEST TO AROUND 50 DEGREES IN THE
SOUTHEAST.
STRONG HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE MIDWEST WILL BUILD SOUTHEAST IN OUR
REGION SUNDAY NIGHT. DEEP COLD ADVECTION KICKS IN OVERNIGHT...BUT
NOT NEARLY AS COLD AS THIS PAST EVENT. SOME LINGERING UPSLOPE SNOW
SHOWERS AND SNOW FLURRIES ANTICIPATED WITH THE 85H BOUNDARY
CROSSING...WHILE DRYING EXPECTED IN THE EAST. LOW TEMPERATURES
SUNDAY NIGHT WILL RANGE FROM THE SINGLE DIGITS IN THE NORTHWEST
MOUNTAINS TO AROUND 30 DEGREES ALONG THE SOUTHERN BLUE RIDGE.
THE UPPER TROUGH WILL SLIDE EAST ON MONDAY AND MOVE OFF THE COAST
MONDAY NIGHT. WITH THE NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT...WILL ALLOW FOR
SCATTERED TO ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS IN THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS MONDAY.
HIGH TEMPERATURES MONDAY WILL RANGE FROM AROUND 10 DEGREES IN THE
NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS TO THE MID 30S IN THE SOUTHEAST. A 1026 MB
SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS OUR AREA MONDAY
NIGHT...ENDING ANY LINGERING SNOW FLURRIES IN THE WEST. LOW
TEMPERATURES MONDAY NIGHT WILL VARY FROM THE SINGLE DIGITS BELOW
ZERO IN THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS TO THE UPPER TEENS IN THE PIEDMONT.
THE COMBINATION OF WINDS AND TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE WIND CHILLS
BELOW ZERO IN NORTHWEST PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA.
&&
.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
AS OF 315 PM EST FRIDAY...
IT LOOKS LIKE A GENERALLY QUIET WEEK AHEAD WITH TEMPERATURES
BELOW/WELL BELOW NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD.
MODELS ARE CONSISTENT IN SHOWING AN UPPER PATTERN THAT WANTS TO
MAINTAIN A PROGRESSIVE SPLIT FLOW REGIME WITH A BRIEF TRANSITION TO
A BROAD UNIFIED TROF AROUND MIDWEEK. THIS IS NOT A PATTERN CONDUCIVE
TO MAJOR STORM DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR NECK OF THE WOODS. TUESDAY WILL
BE FAIR AS HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES OFF TO OUR EAST. FOR WEDNESDAY A LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING INTO QUEBEC WILL SWING A COLD FRONT THROUGH
THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY. EARLIER EURO RUNS HAD SHORT WAVE ENERGY
EJECTING EASTWARD FROM A DISSIPATING CLOSED LOW OVER THE SOUTHWEST
US DRIVING DEVELOPMENT OF A COASTAL LOW...BUT THE LATEST OPERATIONAL
EURO HAS COME AROUND TO A GFS MEMBER BASED SOLUTION WHICH KEEPS THIS
ENERGY SHEARING OFF TO OUR SOUTH AND EAST. THUS...ASIDE FROM SOME
UPSLOPE SNOW SHOWERS WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE THERE WILL NOT BE MUCH
SENSIBLE WEATHER ACCOMPANYING THE FRONT. COLD HIGH PRESSURE THEN
BUILDS IN WITH WELL BELOW TEMPERATURES BUT GENERALLY FAIR
WEATHER...OUTSIDE OF SOME UPSLOPE SNOW SHOWERS WEST OF THE BLUE
RIDGE...THROUGH THE END OF NEXT THE WEEK.
&&
.AVIATION /12Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
AS OF 700 AM EST SATURDAY...
VERY POOR FLIGHT CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE TAF VALID
PERIOD...TODAY AND TONIGHT. MAINLY IFR CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED
PER WINTER STORM WHICH WILL ADVANCE ACROSS THE OH/TN VALLEYS INTO
THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION WITH PLETHORA OF PRECIPITATION TYPES.
COMBINATION OF SNOW...SLEET...FREEZING RAIN...ARE ALL LIKELY
TODAY...ACCUMULATING ON THE GROUND AND ON ELEVATED SURFACES. THE
MIXED PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE TO ALL RAIN BY TONIGHT
AS WARMER AIR GRADUALLY DISPLACES THE COLD AIR AT THE SURFACE. THE
WARMER AIR IS NOT NECESSARILY A GOOD THING. WARM AIR OVER THE COLD
GROUND WILL LIKELY RESULT IN AREAS OF DENSE FOG WITH VSBYS BLO 1SM
AND CIGS UNDER 1000 FEET.
MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IN CIGS AND VSBYS THROUGH THE TAF VALID PERIOD.
MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IN WIND DIR/SPD THROUGH THE TAF VALID PERIOD.
EXTENDED AVIATION DISCUSSION...
THE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO COME TO AN END EARLY SUNDAY AS
THE STORM MOVES EAST AND AWAY FROM THE FORECAST AREA. BY SUNDAY
AFTERNOON...WINDS WILL SWING AROUND TO THE NORTHWEST...WITH COLD
AIR RETURNING. ANOTHER SURGE OF ARCTIC AIR WILL FOLLOW FOR
MONDAY WITH MVFR-IFR CIGS/VSBYS AND SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE
MOUNTAINS...AND MOSTLY VFR CONDITIONS EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE.
HIGH PRESSURE WILL FINALLY BUILD INTO THE REGION BY TUE BRINGING A
BRIEF PERIOD OF VFR TO THE MOUNTAINS...BUT AN ALBERTA CLIPPER WILL
LIKELY BRING MORE SNOW SHOWERS TO THE MOUNTAINS AND SUB-VFR
CONDITIONS BY WED.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...
AS OF 300 PM EST FRIDAY...
THIS WINTER STORM WILL PRODUCE A COMBINATION OF SNOW...SLEET...
FREEZING RAIN AND RAIN ACROSS THE HSA. THIS SYSTEM SHOULD START
OUT AS SNOW AND TRANSITION THROUGH VARIOUS TYPES TO ALL RAIN ON
SATURDAY AND INTO SUNDAY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE GREENBRIER AND
UPPER JAMES WHERE SNOW OR MIXED PRECIPITATION MAY HOLD ON. AMOUNTS
AND DURATION OF EACH TYPE WILL VARY WIDELY ACROSS THE HSA. STORM
TOTAL LIQUID EQUIVALENT AMOUNTS FROM THIS SYSTEM APPEAR LIKELY TO
BE LOWER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT OVER THE SOUTHEAST WITH AMOUNTS
RANGING FROM AS LITTLE AS 0.50 INCHES IN THE LOWER DAN/ROANOKE
BASINS. UP TO 1.50 INCHES OR MORE OF LIQUID EQUIVALENT COULD FALL
IN THE GREENBRIER AND UPPER JAMES. THE EXISTING SNOWPACK ACROSS
THE UPPER JAMES...NEW AND GREENBRIER RIVER BASINS WILL ALMOST
CERTAINLY REMAIN INTACT THROUGH THE EVENT EVEN WITH AN EVENTUAL
LATE CHANGE OVER TO MIXED PRECIPITATION OR RAIN...AND THAT MAY NOT
OCCUR AT ALL IN THE FAR NORTHWESTERN PARTS OF THESE BASINS. THE
LOWER ROANOKE AND DAN RIVER BASINS WITH LESS SNOW TO BEGIN WITH
AND MORE RAIN FORECAST COULD SEE A COMPLETE LOSS OF THE SNOW COVER
BUT PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WILL BE CONSIDERABLY LESS...ALSO
REDUCING RUNOFF POTENTIAL. FREEZING TEMPERATURES WILL RETURN BY
LATE SUNDAY AND SLOW ANY RUNOFF DRAMATICALLY. AT THIS POINT NO
RIVERS ARE FORECAST TO REACH EVEN ACTION STAGE DUE TO EITHER LOWER
QPF OR NO SUBSTANTIAL MELTING OF THE SNOW COVER BEFORE REFREEZING
OCCURS.
&&
.RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
VA...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM EST SUNDAY FOR VAZ007-009>020-
022>024-033>035.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EST SUNDAY FOR VAZ032-
043>047-058-059.
NC...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM EST SUNDAY FOR NCZ001-002-018.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EST SUNDAY FOR NCZ003>006-
019-020.
WV...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM EST SUNDAY FOR WVZ042>044-507-
508.
&&
SYNOPSIS...PM
NEAR TERM...PM
SHORT TERM...KK
LONG TERM...MBS
AVIATION...PM
HYDROLOGY...PCHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 631 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015 NCZ001-002-018-VAZ007-009-010-012-013-015-016-WVZ042-221145- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-WATAUGA-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-WYTHE-PULASKI-GRAYSON- CARROLL-MERCER- 631 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. VAZ011-014-017-018-022-023-033>035-221145- GILES-MONTGOMERY-FLOYD-CRAIG-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD- AMHERST- 631 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. VAZ019-020-024-WVZ043-044-507-508-221145- ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-ROCKBRIDGE-SUMMERS-MONROE-EASTERN GREENBRIER- WESTERN GREENBRIER- 631 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ005-006-VAZ043-044-058-059-221145- ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE- 631 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ003-004-019-020-VAZ032-221145- SURRY-STOKES-WILKES-YADKIN-PATRICK- 631 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. VAZ045>047-221145- CAMPBELL-APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM- 631 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 516 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015 NCZ001-002-018-VAZ007-009>013-015-016-211230- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-WATAUGA-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE- PULASKI-GRAYSON-CARROLL- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WEST JEFFERSON...SPARTA...BOONE... TAZEWELL...MARION...BLAND...PEARISBURG...WYTHEVILLE...RADFORD... PULASKI...INDEPENDENCE...WHITETOP...TROUTDALE...VOLNEY...GALAX 516 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015 WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. SNOW...MIXED WITH SLEET AND SOME FREEZING RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD NORTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 ARE POSSIBLE TODAY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR UP TO 0.10 OF ICE. TRAVEL WILL BECOME DANGEROUS QUICKLY THIS MORNING. WVZ042>044-507-508-211230- MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE-EASTERN GREENBRIER-WESTERN GREENBRIER- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BLUEFIELD...FLAT TOP...HINTON...HIX... UNION...LEWISBURG...WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS...ALDERSON...QUINWOOD... DUO...RAINELLE 516 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015 WINTER STORM WARNINGS IN EFFECT UNTIL SUNDAY MORNING. SNOW MIXED WITH SLEET WILL ADVANCE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING. ADDITIONAL SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATION OF 6 TO 10 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE TODAY. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. VAZ014-017>020-022>024-033-211230- MONTGOMERY-FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT- ROCKBRIDGE-FRANKLIN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BLACKSBURG...FLOYD...NEW CASTLE... CLIFTON FORGE...COVINGTON...HOT SPRINGS...ROANOKE...SALEM... FINCASTLE...LEXINGTON...BUENA VISTA...ROCKY MOUNT 516 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015 WINTER STORM WARNINGS IN EFFECT UNTIL SUNDAY MORNING. SNOW...MIXED WITH SLEET WILL SPREAD NORTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING. LOOK FOR SNOW TO BEGIN IN THE ROANOKE VALLEY AROUND 7 AM THIS MORNING. SNOWFALL RATES OF ONE INCH PER HOUR ARE POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY IN THE THE ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW AND SLEET WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. NCZ004-005-VAZ034-035-043>047-211230- STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-BEDFORD-AMHERST-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL- APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...DANBURY...EDEN...BEDFORD...AMHERST... MARTINSVILLE...DANVILLE...LYNCHBURG...APPOMATTOX 516 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015 SNOW MIXED WITH SLEET AT TIMES WILL DEVELOP BETWEEN 7 AM AND 9 AM THIS MORNING AND SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE REGION. HEAVIER SNOW BANDS WILL DEPOSIT A QUICK INCH OF SNOW. DRIVERS SHOULD PREPARE FOR SLIPPERY SNOW COVERED ROADS. NCZ006-VAZ058-059-211230- CASWELL-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...YANCEYVILLE...SOUTH BOSTON...KEYSVILLE 516 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015 WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL SUNDAY MORNING. A MIXTURE OF SNOW AND SLEET WILL DEVELOP BY LUNCHTIME AND SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES...FREEZING RAIN AND RAIN WILL MIX IN. ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE LESS THAN A INCH OF SNOW AND SLEET WITH LESS THAN A TENTH OF ICE POSSIBLE. HAZARDOUS TRAVEL MAY DEVELOP DUE TO ICE AND SNOW. NCZ003-019-020-VAZ032-211230- SURRY-WILKES-YADKIN-PATRICK- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...DOBSON...WILKESBORO...YADKINVILLE... STUART 516 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015 WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL SUNDAY MORNING. AFTER 8 AM THIS MORNING...A MIXTURE OF SNOW AND SLEET WILL DEVELOP AND SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING. SNOW ACCUMULATION OF UP TO 1 INCH...ALONG WITH UP TO .10 INCH OF ICE ARE POSSIBLE TODAY. HAZARDOUS TRAVEL MAY DEVELOP DUE TO ICE AND SNOW. 07
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
603 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0543 AM SNOW RICHLANDS 37.10N 81.80W
02/21/2015 E1.0 INCH TAZEWELL VA PUBLIC
&&
EVENT NUMBER RNK1500906
KKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
730 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 AM SNOW 1 NNE MERRIMAC 37.20N 80.41W
02/21/2015 M0.5 INCH MONTGOMERY VA NWS OFFICE
&&
EVENT NUMBER RNK1500907
16PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
800 AM EST SAT FEB 21 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0745 AM SNOW 2 NNW MILLBORO 37.99N 79.61W
02/21/2015 M0.8 INCH BATH VA TRAINED SPOTTER
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EVENT NUMBER RNK1500908
16The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
17 winter storm, 2 avalanche. Local standard time, as filed.
A spotter measured 9.0 inches of snow in Tannersville. The public measured 7.0 inches of snow in North Tazewell along with 0.10 inch of ice. Elsewhere across the county, amounts were generally less than 7.0 inches.
A trained spotter measured 4.0 inches of snow and 0.10 inch of ice in Chilhowie. Another spotter measured 3.5 inches of snow 2N of Marion.
The public measured 7.0 inches of snow in Ceres and 6.0 inches of snow in Bland.
A spotter measured 8.0 inches of snow 2SE of Mountain Lake. Another spotter measured 7.0 inches of snow in Pembroke. The public measured 7.0 inches of snow in Maybrook. A National Weather Service employee measured 6.1 inches of snow, including 0.5 inch of sleet in Pearisburg.
The public measured 10.5 inches of snow in Pulaski, but only about 2.0 inches of snow and sleet in Snowville. Spotters measured 0.10 inch of ice 2S Snowville and in Pulaski as well.
A National Weather Service Employee measured 9.0 inches of snow 5NNE of Blacksburg (Brush Mountain). Elsewhere across the county, National Weather Service employees measured snowfall ranging from 7.8 inches 2NE of Blacksburg, 7.5 inches at the National Weather Service Office, to 1.5 inches in Christiansburg. The public reported less than 1.0 inch of mostly sleet in Pilot in the far southern end of the county.
The public measured 18.0 inches of snow in New Castle while a spotter measured nearly 6.0 inches in Simmonsville.
A spotter measured 11.5 inches of snow at Catawba in the northern end of the county. Elsewhere across the county, snowfall amounts ranged from 7.0 to 9.0 inches in Salem and Roanoke to 3.0 inches at Bent Mountain and 3NNW Boones Mill. In addition, ice accumulations of 0.25 inch and 0.20 inch were observed by spotters 3NNW of Boones Mill and Salem, respectively.
The public observed 12.0 inches of snow at Fincastle with other reports from law enforcement and spotters of 11.0 to 12.0 inches of snow in Fincastle and Eagle Rock. A spotter measured 10.0 inches of snow in Springwood, with amounts elsewhere ranging from 5.5 inches at Laymantown to 9.0 inches at Buchanan.
Trained spotters measured 3.0 inches of snow and 0.10 inch of ice on Roanoke Mountain. Law enforcement reported 3.5 inches of snow at Rocky Mount. Another spotter measured 0.25 inch of ice at Boones Mill.
The public measured 9.5 inches of snow at Big Island, with several reports of 7.0 to 7.5 inches of snow measured by trained spotters around Bedford. Elsewhere across the county, snowfall amounts were mostly in the 4.0 to 6.0 inch range. In addition, an ice accumulation of 0.20 inch was measured by a spotter in Bedford. There were also several reports of sleet mixing in with the snow and ice.
A CoCoRaHS observer measured 11.0 inches of snow 4E of Covington along with 0.10 inch of ice. Elsewhere, the public measured 8.0 inches of snow in Alleghany.
The Bath County Sheriff's Office measured 15.0 inches of snow in Warm Springs. A CoCoRaHS Observer measured 13.0 inches of snow at Bath Alum.
Numerous reports of 15.0 to 16.0 inches of snow were received from spotters in the Rockbridge Baths and Lexington areas, with 12.0 inches in the Buena Vista. Elsewhere, amounts across the southern part of the county were near 8.0 inches. In addition, 0.20 inch of ice accumulation was measured by a spotter in Buena Vista.
A spotter measured 11.0 inches of snow 2SW of Pera while a COOP Observer measured 10.1 inches of snow in Amherst. Elsewhere, snowfall amounts were mostly in the 5.0 to 6.0 inch range.
The public measured 5.5 inches within the City of Lynchburg while the Campbell County Sheriff's Office measured 3.0 inches of snow near the Lynchburg Airport. Three inches of snow was also observed by a trained spotter at Concord. Elsewhere across the county, snowfall amounts were mostly less than 3.0 inches. However, ice accumulations ranged from 0.13 inch at WSET Television near Lynchburg to 0.30 inch at Altavista, as measured by a spotter.
A spotter measured 4.0 inches of snow 1NW of Gold Hill. Other snow reports ranged from 1.0 to 2.0 inches across the southern part of the county. In addition, spotters measured 0.10 inch of ice accumulation 7N of Dillwyn and in Buckingham.
WVVA Television reported that there was an avalanche on Virginia route 623 near Burkes Garden. The road was closed for several hours until the snow could be cleared from the road.
The Roanoke District Emergency Management Director reported that there was an avalanche on U.S. 220 near Iron Gate. The road was blocked and closed for several hours. Nearly two feet of snow had fallen in the area during the afternoon of the 21st.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, February 2015
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: 563734, 563735, 563736, 563737, 563739, 563740, 563744, 563747, 563748, 563751, 563752, 563745, 563746, 563749, 563753, 563756, 563758, 564205, 564215.