If our snowy start to winter had you feeling nostalgic, your mind might be drifting back to 1996 — Jan. 6 through Jan. 8 — when Virginia was “walloped” by over a foot of snow.
This week marks the 30th anniversary of the massive storm (and 30 years since Richmond’s last Blizzard Warning).
A snowy walk through history
The winter storm was one of the largest to hit the East Coast in recent memory. The Richmond International Airport recorded over a full foot of snow, and total accumulation rose even higher in Western Henrico. Out in Louisa, a building collapsed under the weight of the precipitation.
State and federal government offices shut down for two days. Schools were out for longer — Chesterfield County schools had to pause for a full nine days. Some parts of the state, especially in the Shenandoah Valley region, accumulated 3+ feet of snow. There were 18 fatalities in Virginia, according to the National Weather Service.
Richmond’s snowfall records
January 1996 has become a local touchstone and remains the heaviest recorded snowfall in the last 30 years. However, if you dig back into Richmond’s history, you can find 10 storms with higher records.
The city’s biggest snowstorm on record took place in 1940 — Jan. 23 + 24 — when 21+ inches of snow fell on the River City. Plus, the 1940 storm brought about a new record low temperature of -12°F.
The next greatest winter weather extremes, in order of total accumulation, took place in 1922, 1983, 1908, 1899, 1962, 1980, 1966, 1980 (again), and 1936.
