Virginia, 2026

Cold in Virginia, January 27 to 31, 2026

January 27 to 31, 2026 · NWS RLX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Bitterly cold temperatures and wind chills invaded southwest Virginia for the second half of the January. This first took place in the wake of a strong cold front on January 27th and was followed by reinforcing shots of cold air for the last week of the month.

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.

Bitterly cold temperatures and wind chills invaded southwest Virginia for the second half of the January. This first took place in the wake of a strong cold front on January 27th and was followed by reinforcing shots of cold air for the last week of the month. Most nights during this time featured Cold Weather Advisories in response to the dangerously cold wind chills.

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 Jan 26, 9:03 PM EST, 2 hours 57 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • 1. Snow showers continue nearly areawide into this evening with light accumulations. Expect continued slick spots. 2. As the arctic airmass settles in tonight, wind chills will dip into the minus teens for much of the lowlands and minus 20s for the mountain ridgetops. 3. Very cold temperatures with little to no chance of getting above freezing over the next 6 days amid several passing weak disturbances producing additional light snow.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 26, 9:03 PM EST, 2 hours 57 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Charleston WV
903 PM EST Mon Jan 26 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Snow showers are holding on longer into the evening before
dissipating.

Tuesday and Wednesday night...POPs have increased with two
clipper systems that will traverse the region. Light
accumulations will be likely with both, but best chance for
accumulations will be in the mountains.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1. Snow showers continue nearly areawide into this evening with
light accumulations. Expect continued slick spots.

2. As the arctic airmass settles in tonight, wind chills will
dip into the minus teens for much of the lowlands and minus 20s
for the mountain ridgetops.

3. Very cold temperatures with little to no chance of getting
above freezing over the next 6 days amid several passing weak
disturbances producing additional light snow.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...

Light to moderate snow showers continue areawide with
additional light accumulations possible. Generally under 1 inch
for the lowlands and another inch or so for the mountains. This
will keep roads slick and can locally reduce visibility under
one half mile in heavier snow showers. An SPS remains in effect
for most of the area through the afternoon to account for this.
These persistent snow showers should gradually taper off this
evening.

KEY MESSAGE 2...

Cold Weather Advisories and Extreme Cold Warnings remain in
effect tonight. Bitterly cold conditions expected with many
locales in the single digits and single digits below 0. Wind
chills in the minus teens most of the lower elevations and minus
20s in the mountains. Will likely need additional cold weather
products farther down the line in collaboration with
neighboring offices.

KEY MESSAGE 3...

Bitterly cold conditions will continue through the week with a
prolonged period of sub freezing temperatures and very cold
mornings.

Two clipper systems will also traverse the region Tuesday night
and again Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Both of these
systems will only produce light snow accumulations, but with
the bitterly cold temperatures, roadway impacts are likely. In
addition, very efficient snow production could lead to
localized areas seeing a fluffy couple inches with each system,
but the best chance will be across the favored foothills and
mountains. Across the lowlands, generally a dusting to less
than one inch for each passing clipper.

This prolonged cold will present an increasing threat to water
infrastructure, those remaining without power, and those who
need assistance who may live on untreated roadways. Overnight
lows through the weekend are expected to be largely in the
single digits across the lower elevations with negative single
digits in the mountains.

&&

.AVIATION /02Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
IFR Snow showers should tapper off this evening. MVFR Clouds
will gradually clear overnight.

A reinforcing cold front will push through the region on
Tuesday. This will produce an MVFR cloud deck, and possibly some
snow.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY...

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Timing of snow showers and clouds
dissipating tonight could vary.

EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY
OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION:
H = HIGH:   TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.
M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS.
L = LOW:    TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.

DATE                                                                 TUE
UTC 1HRLY       00   01   02   03   04   05   06   07   08   09   10   11
EST 1HRLY       19   20   21   22   23   00   01   02   03   04   05   06
CRW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
HTS CONSISTENCY  L    M    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
BKW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    M    M    H    H    H    H    H
EKN CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
PKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
CKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    M    M    M    M    H    H

AFTER 00Z WEDNESDAY...
IFR possible in snow Wednesday into Wednesday night.

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...Extreme Cold Warning until noon EST Tuesday for WVZ007>011-
     016>020-027>032-039-040-519>526.
     Cold Weather Advisory until noon EST Tuesday for WVZ005-006-
     013>015-024>026-033-034-515>518.
OH...Extreme Cold Warning until noon EST Tuesday for OHZ066-067-075-
     076-083>087.
KY...Extreme Cold Warning until noon EST Tuesday for KYZ101.
     Cold Weather Advisory until noon EST Tuesday for KYZ102-103-
     105.
VA...Cold Weather Advisory until noon EST Tuesday for VAZ003-004.

&&

DISCUSSION...JRM
AVIATION...RPY

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 26, 6:14 PM EST, 5 hours 46 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
614 PM EST Mon Jan 26 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0600 PM     Snow             2 SE Barboursville      38.38N 82.28W
01/26/2026  M1.5 Inch        Cabell             WV   Trained Spotter

            New snowfall since last night. New depth is
            about 3 inches.

&&
Local storm report, Jan 26, 7:14 PM EST, 4 hours 46 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
714 PM EST Mon Jan 26 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0700 PM     Snow             South Charleston        38.35N 81.71W
01/26/2026  M0.7 Inch        Kanawha            WV   Official NWS Obs

            Measured 0.7 inches of new snowfall since
            7am with bands of snow showers today.

&&
Local storm report, Jan 26, 7:17 PM EST, 4 hours 43 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
717 PM EST Mon Jan 26 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0700 PM     Snow             1 NE Elkins             38.93N 79.84W
01/26/2026  M1.1 Inch        Randolph           WV   CO-OP Observer

            CO-OP Observers at Davis & Elkins College
            measured 1.1 inches of new snowfall since
            7am with bands of upslope snow showers.

&&
Local storm report, Jan 26, 7:32 PM EST, 4 hours 28 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
732 PM EST Mon Jan 26 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0700 PM     Snow             3 SE Stanaford          37.79N 81.11W
01/26/2026  M1.5 Inch        Raleigh            WV   CO-OP Observer

            CO-OP observer in Beckley measured 1.5
            inches of new snowfall between 7am and 7pm
            with upslope snow showers.

&&
Local storm report, Jan 26, 7:40 PM EST, 4 hours 20 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
740 PM EST Mon Jan 26 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0730 PM     Snow             1 NNE Huntington        38.43N 82.43W
01/26/2026  M0.8 Inch        Cabell             WV   CO-OP Observer

            CO-OP observers in Huntington received 0.8
            inches of new snowfall between 7am and 7pm
            with snow showers.

&&
Local storm report, Jan 26, 7:50 PM EST, 4 hours 10 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
750 PM EST Mon Jan 26 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1251 PM     Snow             6 SE Spencer            38.72N 81.31W
01/26/2026  M1.0 Inch        Roane              WV   Trained Spotter

            1 inch of new snowfall today. 3 inches total
            on the ground since yesterday.

&&

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Buchanan

When
January 27, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Buchanan forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
37.267, -82.036 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Dickenson

When
January 27, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Dickenson forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
37.126, -82.350 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill
Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Virginia in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, January 2026

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: 1313490, 1313491.