Recent rain over the area resulted in increased low level moisture across the Mid-Atlantic. As this moisture became trapped under a subsidence inversion, fog developed, with areas of dense fog in the valleys of northern Virginia.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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 LWX wrote it up.
Recent rain over the area resulted in increased low level moisture across the Mid-Atlantic. As this moisture became trapped under a subsidence inversion, fog developed, with areas of dense fog in the valleys of northern Virginia.
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 Jan 15, 9:11 PM EST, 5 hours 24 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 dense fog. Local standard time, as filed.
HWY reported reduced visibilities of one quarter mile or less.
SHD reported reduced visibilities of one quarter mile or less.
GVE and OMH reported reduced visibilities of one quarter mile or less.
CJR reported reduced visibilities of one quarter mile or less.
IAD reported reduced visibilities of one quarter mile or less.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, January 2016
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: 614541, 614543, 614540, 614539, 614542.