Virginia, 2022

Heavy Snow in Virginia, March 12, 2022

March 12, 2022 · NWS RLX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A cold front dropping down from the north collided with a low pressure system moving in from the Gulf of Mexico during the early morning hours of March 12th. Very cold temperatures took hold over the area with heavy snow initially developing after midnight.

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 RLX wrote it up.

A cold front dropping down from the north collided with a low pressure system moving in from the Gulf of Mexico during the early morning hours of March 12th. Very cold temperatures took hold over the area with heavy snow initially developing after midnight. Significant bursts of snow led to 3 to 6 inches across southwest Virginia around sunrise. This resulted in multiple vehicle accidents and hazardous travel conditions that morning. The bulk of the snow shifted to the east throughout the morning as the upper level disturbance aimed for the Atlantic Ocean. Lingering lake enhanced snow showers continued into the afternoon, producing bursts of additional snow for portions of the area.

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 Charleston, WV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 12, 12:29 AM EST, 31 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 12, 12:29 AM EST, 31 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 11, 2:20 PM EST, 10 hours 40 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Charleston WV
220 PM EST Fri Mar 11 2022

VAZ003-004-WVZ013-015>020-024>034-039-040-515>519-521-525-121930-
Dickenson-Buchanan-Lincoln-Kanawha-Roane-Wirt-Calhoun-Ritchie-
Doddridge-Mingo-Logan-Boone-Clay-Braxton-Gilmer-Lewis-Harrison-
Taylor-McDowell-Wyoming-Upshur-Barbour-Northwest Raleigh-
Southeast Raleigh-Northwest Fayette-Southeast Fayette-
Northwest Nicholas-Northwest Webster-Northwest Randolph-
220 PM EST Fri Mar 11 2022

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 10 PM EST SATURDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southwest Virginia, and
portions of central West Virginia, northeast West Virginia,
northern West Virginia, southeast West Virginia and southern West
Virginia.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon 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...Saturday through Thursday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Winter Storm Warning.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will likely be needed.

KYZ101>103-105-OHZ066-067-075-076-083>087-WVZ005>011-014-121930-
Greenup-Carter-Boyd-Lawrence KY-Perry-Morgan-Athens-Washington-
Jackson OH-Vinton-Meigs-Gallia-Lawrence OH-Wayne-Cabell-Mason-
Jackson WV-Wood-Pleasants-Tyler-Putnam-
220 PM EST Fri Mar 11 2022

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 PM EST
SATURDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Kentucky, southeast
Ohio, and portions of central West Virginia, northern West
Virginia, southern West Virginia and western West Virginia.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon 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...Saturday through Thursday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Winter Storm Warning.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will likely be needed.

WVZ520-522-121930-
Southeast Nicholas-Southeast Webster-
220 PM EST Fri Mar 11 2022

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM SATURDAY TO MIDNIGHT EST
SATURDAY NIGHT...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast West
Virginia and southeast West Virginia.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon 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...Saturday through Thursday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Winter Storm Warning.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will likely be needed.

WVZ524-121930-
Southeast Pocahontas-
220 PM EST Fri Mar 11 2022

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 10 PM EST
SATURDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast West
Virginia.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon 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...Saturday through Thursday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Winter Weather Advisory.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will likely be needed.

WVZ523-526-121930-
Northwest Pocahontas-Southeast Randolph-
220 PM EST Fri Mar 11 2022

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM SATURDAY TO MIDNIGHT EST
SATURDAY NIGHT...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast West
Virginia.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon 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...Saturday through Thursday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Winter Storm Warning.

In addition, cold temperatures and wind may result in wind chill
values as low as -20 Saturday night. A Wind Chill Advisory will
likely be needed.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will likely be needed.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 11, 9:41 PM EST, 3 hours 19 minutes before
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Local storm report, Mar 11, 10:35 PM EST, 2 hours 25 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, Dickenson

When
March 12, 1:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Dickenson forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
37.126, -82.350 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Buchanan

When
March 12, 1:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Buchanan forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
37.267, -82.036 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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, March 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1003479, 1003480.