So, you're looking out the window or checking your phone, wondering is it snowing in Virginia right now? Honestly, the answer depends entirely on whether you’re standing on a beach in Virginia Beach or shivering on a ridge in Highland County. Virginia is weird. It’s a state that refuses to commit to a single climate.
If you are currently looking at a radar map, you might see big blobs of blue over the Blue Ridge Mountains and nothing but gray drizzle in Richmond. That is the Virginia way. Because the state stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Appalachian Plateau, "Virginia weather" isn't really a thing. It's more like five different weather patterns wearing a trench coat.
Why the Blue Ridge Always Wins the Snow Lottery
If it is snowing in Virginia, it usually starts in the west. Places like Monterey or Burkes Garden often feel like they belong in Vermont rather than the South. Highland County is nicknamed "Virginia's Little Switzerland" for a reason. When a cold front hits the mountains, the air is forced upward—a process meteorologists call orographic lift—which chills the moisture and dumps snow on the peaks while the valleys stay dry.
But here is the catch.
Just because it’s dumping six inches in Blacksburg doesn't mean a single flake will reach Alexandria. The "downsloping" effect often kills snow as it moves east. The air sinks, warms up, and turns that beautiful powder into a miserable, cold slush. You’ve probably seen it: the radar shows heavy snow over the mountains, but by the time it reaches I-95, it’s just a "wintry mix." That's the most hated phrase in the Virginian vocabulary.
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The Science of the "Wedge"
Ever heard of Cold Air Damming? Local meteorologists like Doug Kammerer or the crew at the Capital Weather Gang talk about it constantly. It happens when high pressure sits over New England or Canada and funnels cold air south, pinning it against the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This "wedge" of cold air is heavy and stubborn. Even if warm air blows in from the Atlantic, it can't push that cold air out. Instead, the warm air slides over the top. This is the recipe for ice storms. If you're asking about snow because you're worried about the roads, keep an eye on the temperature at the 5,000-foot level. If that's warm while the ground is frozen, you aren't getting snow. You're getting a skating rink.
Historical Snowfall and What to Expect
Let's talk numbers. They aren't consistent.
The average snowfall in Norfolk is a measly five or six inches a year. Sometimes they go three years without seeing a dusting. Meanwhile, Wise County in the far southwest averages over 40 inches. That is a massive gap for one state.
- The Coastal Plain: Think Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and the Eastern Shore. Snow here is a rare event. When it does happen, it’s usually because of a "Nor'easter" pulling moisture off the ocean. These storms are unpredictable.
- The Piedmont: Richmond and Charlottesville sit here. It’s a gamble. One year you get a 15-inch blizzard that shuts down the city for a week; the next three years you get nothing but mud.
- Northern Virginia (NOVA): This area is the king of the "commuter nightmare." Even two inches of snow on the Capital Beltway creates gridlock that makes national news.
- The Valley and Highlands: This is where the real snow lives. Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Winchester actually have winter.
Remember the "Snowmageddon" of 2010? Or the January 2016 blizzard (Storm Jonas)? Those were outliers where the entire state actually looked like a Christmas card. Normally, it's much more fragmented.
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Is It Snowing in Virginia Right Now? Check These Signs
If you don't have a window nearby, look at the traffic cameras on the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) website. They are the most honest source of truth. If the cameras in Wytheville are white but the ones in Fredericksburg are black and shiny, the storm is stalling.
Also, watch the birds. It sounds like folklore, but local farmers swear that if birds are huddling at the feeders in the middle of the day, something is coming. Honestly, the birds in the Shenandoah Valley are better at predicting snow than some of the computer models.
The "Bread and Milk" Phenomenon
If there is even a 20% chance that it might be snowing in Virginia, the grocery stores will be emptied. It’s a cultural ritual. People in Arlington or Henrico will buy enough toilet paper and milk to survive a month-long siege over a predicted dusting. Don't be that person, but also, don't ignore it. Virginia drivers are notoriously bad in the snow because they don't get enough practice. Even if the snow isn't sticking to the grass, it might be freezing on the bridges.
Richmond is particularly famous for this. The city has a lot of hills and old cobblestone streets that turn into luge runs the second the temperature hits 31 degrees.
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Practical Steps for Dealing With Virginia Snow
Stop checking the national apps. They are too broad. If you want to know if it's snowing in Virginia with any accuracy, you need to look at high-resolution local models like the HRRR (High-Resolution Rapid Refresh).
- Check the Dew Point: If the temperature is 34 degrees but the dew point is 20, the air is dry. When the rain starts, "evaporational cooling" will kick in, and that rain will quickly turn to snow.
- Monitor VDOT’s Plow Map: Virginia has a surprisingly robust plow tracking system. If you see the trucks moving on the map, the state is expecting something real.
- Altitude Matters: For every 1,000 feet you climb, the temperature drops about 3.5 degrees. If you’re driving from DC to Skyline Drive, expect a total change in scenery. It can be 45 and raining in Fairfax and a full-blown whiteout at Big Meadows.
- Watch the I-95 Corridor: This is the Great Divide. Often, snow stays to the west of 95, and rain stays to the east. If you live right on that line, your forecast will change every thirty minutes.
Virginia winters are short but can be intense. We don't get the consistent, dry snow of Colorado. We get "heart attack snow"—heavy, wet, and slushy. It breaks tree limbs and knocks out power because our trees don't drop their leaves early enough in the fall or they start budding too early in the spring.
If you are currently waiting for the flakes to fall, look toward the Blue Ridge. If the clouds are hanging low and dark over the mountains, it's probably on its way. Just make sure you've got your ice scraper ready; you're going to need it more for the ice than the actual snow.
To stay truly prepared, keep a kit in your car that includes a heavy blanket and a bag of kitty litter. The litter provides traction when you're stuck in that red Virginia clay that's been turned into a frozen mess. Most importantly, give the VDOT crews space to work. They are the only thing standing between you and a very long night on the shoulder of I-64.