Vdot weather calculator12/28/2023 ![]() Shiloh 4.5 in 1115 AM 01/22 Emergency Mngrģ S Somerset 5.5 in 0800 AM 01/22 Park/Forest SrvcĢ SSW Somerset 5.0 in 0909 AM 01/22 Emergency Mngr Riddle 6.0 in 0800 AM 01/22 Trained Spotter South Mills 7.0 in 1115 AM 01/22 Emergency Mngrġ E Whitehall Shores 6.5 in 1115 AM 01/22 Emergency Mngr Ocean Pines 0.9 SSW 2.5 in 0700 AM 01/22 COCORAHS Parsonsburg 1.6 WNW 1.0 in 0700 AM 01/22 COCORAHS Marion Station 1.5 in 1008 AM 01/22 Trained SpotterĢ SSW Princess Anne 1.4 in 0700 AM 01/22 Cocorahs This was the most significant snowfall for much of SE VA and NE NC since January 2018!ġ ENE Crisfield 1.5 in 0830 AM 01/22 Cocorahs In total, amounts ranged from 1/4-1" in the Richmond Metro, 1-3" from south-central VA to eastern VA and most of the Lower Eastern Shore, and 3-7" (locally 8" just north of Elizabeth City) across Hampton Roads and most of NE NC. ![]() In addition, 1"/hour rates likely occurred at times in Hampton Roads. While there was no thunder, a nearly stationary band of rates likely as high as 2"/hour was situated across NE NC (just to the north of the Elizabeth City) for a couple hours during the early morning. Model cross sections even showed some hints that there might have been some very weak elevated, upright instability across extreme SE VA and NE NC. The most intense snowfall (perhaps 1-2"/hour in narrow bands) was observed between 11 PM and 5 AM across SE VA and NE NC, where there was slantwise instability present (as evidenced by negative equivalent potential vorticity (EPV). The snow ended from west to east between 2 and 7 AM on 1/22 as the mid level shortwave quickly crossed the area. The snow started to reach the ground by 10-11 PM in the Richmond metro area while rates increased further across SE VA and NE NC. Travel conditions deteriorated quickly during the overnight hours, as the snow stuck to roads immediately with temperatures well below freezing (even in Hampton Roads/NE NC). Rates slowly increased through the late evening hours as the snow gradually inched to the north and northwest (radar returns were showing snow aloft across the entire area but the dry air caused it to sublimate before reaching the ground). Light snow overspread SE VA and NE NC during the late afternoon-evening of the 22nd. No snow was reported north and west of the Richmond Metro/Farmville/Cambridge. The cold, dry air in the low-levels limited snow amounts across central and northern portions of the area. At the surface, ~1040mb high pressure to our north funneled cold, dry Arctic air in the low levels toward our area while the surface low gradually deepened as it tracked NE off the Carolina coast. With temperatures not getting out of the 20s across the area during the day on 1/22 (and sufficiently cold air aloft), this was one of the uncommon events where precipitation fell in the form of snow across (nearly) the entire area. The sharpening shortwave approached the area on 1/22 before crossing the area during the early morning hours on 1/23. ![]() ![]() This shortwave slowly sharpened and took on a more neutral tilt as it tracked to the east (toward the local area) during the day on 1/22 as surface low pressure developed along the stalled front well to our south (off the Carolina coast). This feature played a key role in helping to generate the lift necessary for the significant snowfall that was observed. Meanwhile, a positively tilted shortwave trough dropped south from the northern Plains to the central Plains during the night of 1/21 through the morning of 1/22. Up to 1" of snow fell from the late afternoon on 1/21 through the early morning on 1/22 following the Arctic cold frontal passage. An Arctic cold front crossed the area during the late morning through afternoon hours on January 21st, before moving well to the south of the area by the morning of January 22nd. ![]()
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