Why Does Fauquier Get So Many More T Storms Than Fairfax? (Richmond: live in, gardening)

[Thruway]

I must be in the minority but I really like T Storms.
What I don't understand is, how come it seems to be so less frequent in Fairfax County over Fauquier?

Today when I did my afternoon drive into Fauqier, on 28, to 17, to 29 east, it appeared that as I got past Nokesville the skies were a lot cloudier to the point a storm was well in the making.
In fact I actually felt rain and saw lightening.

However as I came back into Centreville now, we have some dark skies but nothing much, hours later.

I only went 20-25 miles SW, and this seems to happen on the radar quite often.
Strong storms develope in Fauquier but we get a fraction of it back here.

I wanted to know if anybody knew why?

1) Is it because Fauquier is rural and thus more prone to storms? It seems right as you get out of the big developments and have open fields it is prominent.
If so why?

2) Is it somehow there are air currents just to the SW that re direct or break the storms, shifting them in divisions to NE or E?
If so, why are these currents there, somehow due to open fields?

[DavidS827]

I have actually noticed that same thing. I have no idea if this is true, but it seems to me that Bull Run Mountain has something to do with it. I have sat on my deck and watched countless storms come right to the top of the mountain and then either disolve into nothing, or split and head far north and south of us.

[Thruway]

Where do you live?
Are the Bull Run Moutains still rural or now part of the suburban landscape?
It would be a downer to see them gone the way of Fairfax.

[DavidS827]

I live in Gainesville. I would say that Bull Run is still very rural. There is a small community on the mountain, but it definitely not what you would consider the typical NOVA suburb.

[vasinger]

The weather patterns seem to go with the Jet Stream.

I live in Richmond and it will be stormy in one part of town and sunny in the other part. Its just how weather works, I reckon.

[Thruway]

Speaking of Richmond, I notice for some reason after Fredericksburg it normally is A LOT warmer there than in NOVA.
Any reason?

[Dingler]

The Weathermen are always saying they do not expect the storms to make it over the mountains. That is happening this summer. It rains west of the Blue Ridge Mountains but the storms dry up by the time they arrive east of the mountains. My yard needs rain!

[vasinger]

Originally Posted by tberg224

Speaking of Richmond, I notice for some reason after Fredericksburg it normally is A LOT warmer there than in NOVA.
Any reason?

Probably its a transition zone between zone 6 (NOVA) and zone 7 (Richmond)

But its not all that warmer. Maybe 5 degrees or so, but that makes a difference over time.

Richmond is in a sub tropical region zone. Va Beach goes up to zone 8 so they can grow Palm Trees there.

The highest zone is zone 10.

Here:

[seldomseen]

Loundon County seems to get more T-Storms that Fairfax County too....

[birdiegt]

I have lived in PW all my life. I notice it to when I visit the points west. I am sure it called the "Rain Shadow Effect".

For the other question: Fredricksburg is further south. That's the city where it either rains or snows a lot in the winter depending...