Virginia, 2022

Heavy Snow in Virginia, January 3, 2022

January 3, 2022 · NWS MRX · 2 events in 1 county or zone

A rapidly intensifying low pressure system over the Southeast states ushered in cold air into southwest Virginia, changing rain to snow through the evening and overnight hours. Snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour were reported in some locations.

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
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
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 MRX wrote it up.

A rapidly intensifying low pressure system over the Southeast states ushered in cold air into southwest Virginia, changing rain to snow through the evening and overnight hours. Snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour were reported in some locations.

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 2, 6:26 PM EST, 5 hours 34 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 2, 6:26 PM EST, 5 hours 34 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 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Wise

When
January 3, 12:00 AM EST to 8:00 AM EST
Where
Wise forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
36.954, -82.625 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Near Coeburn at Mt. Rose Vineyard (2690 ft elevation), 4 inches of snow was reported.

Heavy Snow, Wise

When
January 3, 12:00 AM EST to 8:00 AM EST
Where
Wise forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
36.954, -82.625 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Near Big Stone Gap, about 4 inches of snow was reported.

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

More

Every storm in Virginia in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, January 2022

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: 998190, 998191.