What is the snow like in NOVA? (house, schools)

[bornindc]

Originally Posted by stacylee926

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.

Definitely true. Most of the people who I grew up with in the area know how to drive in the snow, since we do get some every year, and occasionally we get a lot. But there are too many people from Florida, Ghana, who knows where that have never even seen the stuff and then try to drive in it. So you have to be careful of the other drivers, not the snow and ice! On the highway there is always a mix of people going either too fast or way too slow, so accidents are inevitable.

There does seem to have been fewer big storms over the last ten years or so. It is cyclical and probably we'll get giant blizzards every year for the next ten. I remember having plenty of large snowfalls to play in as a kid here in the '70s and '80s. So, hopefully rivettijensen's daughter will get some good snow, she will get get some real nice storms now and again I'm sure over the next few years.

[normie]

You may get a first snow in November, then have nothing for several weeks. Most of the snow seems to hit later in the winter. One fun way to predict the weather is looking for woolly bears.

Woolly Bears

[arielmina]

I am curious about Western Loudoun county...I'm told they get more snow that closer in areas...can anyone confirm?

I lived in Fairfax back in 1991 and coming from living in CT and then upstate NY for college, driving in the "snow" down there was a nightmare. I didn't even have snow tires and 4x4 and I'll never forget driving home on 66 and passing car after car in a ditch. It felt like I was driving through a mine field and there was only like an inch or two of snow! It wasn't the snow that was the problem, it was the other drivers for sure!

[normie]

Originally Posted by arielmina

I am curious about Western Loudoun county...I'm told they get more snow that closer in areas...can anyone confirm?

I lived in Fairfax back in 1991 and coming from living in CT and then upstate NY for college, driving in the "snow" down there was a nightmare. I didn't even have snow tires and 4x4 and I'll never forget driving home on 66 and passing car after car in a ditch. It felt like I was driving through a mine field and there was only like an inch or two of snow! It wasn't the snow that was the problem, it was the other drivers for sure!

Yes, Western Loudoun tends to get more snow, and less ice. One factor is the closer you get to DC, the more concrete you have. It warms the snow. Some of it melts off, some of it turns it to ice.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by car54

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.

Here's my suggestion for snowbound days:

Grab your digital camera today (or this week) and go for a walk. It's gorgeous outside, so now's the time to take photos of your neighborhood. Or a park you like. Or buildings you think are well designed. Or whatever you think tells a story about life in NOVA.

Then you can sort through the photos when we're all snowbound. We'll all be on city-data, with nothing to talk about but the snow. Talk about the perfect time for posting a few photo tours.

[SteelCityRising]

How "severe" would the storm have to be to expect a potential snow day for the Federal government? Is anything over 4" in depth a good bet? Freezing rain? I'm trying to plan my snow days out early!

[ChristineVA]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

How "severe" would the storm have to be to expect a potential snow day for the Federal government? Is anything over 4" in depth a good bet? Freezing rain? I'm trying to plan my snow days out early!

4" will get you liberal leave. It has to be a BIG one. I would say at a minimum 6" with more expected. The last day off for the feds was about 7 years ago, I believe and I think that was one were there was at least 8-12 inches. I remember I had a dinner party to go to and it got so bad we couldn't even consider it.

[Appalachianwx71]

Originally Posted by arielmina

I am curious about Western Loudoun county...I'm told they get more snow that closer in areas...can anyone confirm?

I lived in Fairfax back in 1991 and coming from living in CT and then upstate NY for college, driving in the "snow" down there was a nightmare. I didn't even have snow tires and 4x4 and I'll never forget driving home on 66 and passing car after car in a ditch. It felt like I was driving through a mine field and there was only like an inch or two of snow! It wasn't the snow that was the problem, it was the other drivers for sure!

Yes Loudoun does much better than points east of Dulles/Fairfax. You are away from the UHI (urban heat island) and away from the marine effect from the Potomac River which in certain type of set ups closer to DC it can switch the precipitation over to rain while it is snowing in Frederick/Leesburg/Gainesville. Of course go 10 miles past Leesburg, your snow chances increase in the foothills of the Blue ridge with the ridge line at your feet. A good ole fashioned noreaster is the best way for Loudoun to stay all snow with maybe some sleet mixed in, but also you dont recieve any of the Lake Effect Snow from the Mountains to the West and northwest. Dulles usually averages around 21" a year I beleive but with La Nina playing role in the weather the last two years, it has been more of a chilly rain event or snow to rain type events outside of Jan 27 2009 and Early March was a nice little surprise.
Hopefully with a El nino moderate one this year, the region shuold see normal to slightly above normal snowfall. I sure hope so I just left Southern NH last March and after having over 210" the last 2 seasons I am going to be craving my snow.
When all else fails you drive 2 hrs to your west and head to Frostburg, Md and points west to get some good ole fun Lake Effect snow with bitter cold temps later in winter and white ot conditions. In fact starting Thur night thru sunday, there could be rain/snow mix up there and at night all snow, though not too much in an accumulating way.
Enjoy the area

[Azmordean]

Here's the real stats. Average snowfall is 16" per year at National, and 21" per year at Dulles. National is right on the river so that's about the lowest total to expect in the area. Realistically, the 16" number works along the river in Alexandria and Arlington. Further from the river, such as say NW DC, 18" is more realistic. And of course, as you get outside the beltway to the west, the Dulles number is more accurate.

The thing to know about this area though, is average seldom happens. The average is an average of extremes. I'd say MOST years tend to be below average in snowfall (hence, the median snowfall is below average snowfall), but there's an occasional big year that pulls all the averages up.

Generally speaking, virtually every winter will feature at least some snow. Most will feature at least one moderate snowfall and a few lighter ones.

Also note that snow usually doesn't last long. Even in the dead of winter, the average high temperature in this area is in the 40s. So while snow isn't uncommon, the pattern usually is a storm that drops snow, followed by a few cold days, followed by temps returning to the upper 30s - mid 40s and the snow melting.

The other thing to note is that winter storms here are very unpredictable. There is no "lake effect" or "mountain upslope" snow - it takes a storm to generate snowfall. If the storms go too far inland, we get rain followed by cold and clear. If they go too far out to sea, we get cold and clear. If they go overhead, you get the dreaded "wintry mix." It really takes a fairly perfect track just to our east to get a mainly snow event. And note I said "mainly snow." Pure snow events are rare at this latitude, except for clippers. Other than those, most event include at least some sleet or freezing rain.

Final note - if you drive a few hours west it's easy to find more snow - particularly in the Alleghenies, where mountain upslope and lake effect can cause upwards of 100" a year.

[michgc]

Brrrr...I'm cold just reading this thread. And with highs in the 40s (what?!) this week, I am preparing for a long, cold winter.