What is the snow like in NOVA? (Arlington, Alexandria: 2009, neighborhood)

[stacylee926]

I admit I have been gone for 6 years, but the thing about the winter is it is - unpredictable, traffic and snow do NOT mix, slushy during the day and then gets icy overnight. I know that 6"-12" is not a big deal to some people from the north, but when you have places to go - it might as well be 3'!

Here in Hampton Roads (which is only just over 3 hrs away) we barely get a snowflake all winter. About 4 years ago we got a few inches that closed up the town!

The biggest problem with winter in NoVa is there are so many transplants from all over the country. Many have never driven in snow. Combine them with the ones who think they know it all and there are bound to be problems.
While huge storms are not very common, being stuck in the house for a day can easily happen in NoVa.

[Yankeesfan]

Mike had the best advice: maximize the fun with the few snows we get. And hope that your child doesn't happen to have pneumonia or bronchitis during the one good snow of the winter .

[cdaq]

I'm looking forward to a few snow days. When I was a kid growing up in ABQ we always had a good snow storm or two per year. Now I can't remember the last real snow we've had. It's been years. Really.

[michgc]

Maybe we haven't had any great snowstorms in the past few years, but I've lived here since 1989 and there have been plenty of big snows throughout that time period. Generally, we get a few 1-4 inch snow "storms" and maybe one "big" snowstorm per year (6-10 inches). But we have certainly had several big ones in some years and no snow in others.

[car54]

We're due for a big one!

The big snow storms I remember are '58, '66, and '79....with '66 by far the worst. It was a true blizzard....white-out conditions....bitter cold, fierce winds and drifts as high as houses. School was closed for almost 2 weeks!

We were stuck in the neighborhood until my dad's pal, who was a foreman with a large construction company, brought over a D-8 Caterpillar dozer and dug us out. Yours truly rode shotgun on that massive machine! VDOT, then as now, was nowhere to be found...

[michgc]

Originally Posted by car54

We're due for a big one!

The big snow storms I remember are '58, '66, and '79....with '66 by far the worst. It was a true blizzard....white-out conditions....bitter cold, fierce winds and drifts as high as houses. School was closed for almost 2 weeks!

We were stuck in the neighborhood until my dad's pal, who was a foreman with a large construction company, brought over a D-8 Caterpillar dozer and dug us out. Yours truly rode shotgun on that massive machine! VDOT, then as now, was nowhere to be found...

Well I wasn't alive during two of those storms. But I remember the Blizzard of '96 quite clearly. I think the government was shut down for 3 days.

[car54]

Originally Posted by michgc

Well I wasn't alive during two of those storms. But I remember the Blizzard of '96 quite clearly. I think the government was shut down for 3 days.

There were a couple of good ones in the late 80's also.

For sheer snow amounts, I think '79 was the biggest (in my lifetime)....thigh high! It was the George Washington B-day weekend. I was invited to go to the Daytona 500 that weekend, but declined for some forgotten reason. I should have gone! I'd have missed the storm AND witnessed the wildest ending in Daytona history....the famous Cale Yarborough/Donnie Allison crash and post race fight....and Richard Petty sailing to victory.

If you've never seen it:

YouTube - NASCAR - The Infamous Fistfight - Daytona 500 1979

[Tish Thompson]

I'm from upstate NY and it snows a lot up there. We get a dusting here and it's like the world is coming to an end. Schools shut down and drivers who otherwise do well suddenly forget how to drive. Don't expect the organization and quick recovery that you're probably used to in Utah.

Originally Posted by rivettijensen

We're moving to Reston from Salt Lake City, where there is obviously a LOT of snow. I don't particularly love the snow as an adult but I really loved playing in it as a child and we want our daughter to be able to have SOME kind of snow experience. Does it snow enough to build snowmen? Does the snow stick or does it melt quickly? What is it like?

[ChristineVA]

I want to bring up a point about the "bad" drivers in the snow here.

I'm from here and lived here all of my life with the exception of a 6 year stint. For one year, I lived in Caribou, Maine with an average snowfall of 200 inches per year. For the other 5 years, I lived in Misawa, Japan that had winters exactly like upstate New York--approximately 140 inches of snowfall per year.

I had NO problems driving in either of the places. One, of course, there was much less traffic (well except for Japan!!), but most importantly, the snow really was a LOT different there. Both places were much colder and the snow was more dry if there is such a thing. We rarely got the glazed sheets of slick mess that we get here. Ever. I never had an accident and never was afraid.

So I'm back here (and have been back for awhile). I'm sorry but even with 2 inches of snow, the pavement seems very slick and treacherous to me. It is a VERY different feel than what I experienced up north. Add to that the TONS of traffic and it's a nightmare. Maybe I'm defensive, but I can hardly believe it is ALL the fault of the million or so people that live here.

[normie]

I hear we're expecting a harsh winter this year. Extra snow, and colder than usual. But that may not mean anything.... NOVA weather predictions are frequently wrong. Our geography makes any attempt at weather prediction a joke.

We probably won't get as much snow as you're used to in Utah. But there should be enough for the kids to make a snowman or two. Sledding is pretty good here if you live near a hill.

One important thing for newcomers to know: Do NOT walk on the icy rivers or lakes. Some people think it's a fun idea to walk across the Potomac, but it's more dangerous than you think. The ice is thick in places but it's not consistent. But not to worry, we have great outdoor skating at the Reston Town Center. Much better to go there than a local lake.