Comments on: 50 possible Saturday; cold, but mostly dry, week ahead

By: Jared French of Greene county

Jared French of Greene county — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 05:56:42 +0000

Yeah Mike, I will purchase that land if its in the vicinity of Lake Moomaw! I love it up there!

By: Doug G, SW Roanoke County (1420 elev)

Doug G, SW Roanoke County (1420 elev) — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 05:13:26 +0000

I remember January 1977 very well. Overall trend was for it to be one of the coldest winters in decades for many states east of the Mississippi River. I was living in North Jersey and working in Manhattan. Got to escape the cold with a wonderful (first) trip to Hawaii for a week. We left NYC (JFK Airport) on a Sunday, Jan. 31st I think, and it was 9*. Charter flight, stopped in Pittsburgh late morning, it was 1* with blowing snow. Then flew over Lake Michigan on the way to a stop in San Fran. As we approached the All-American great lake, pilot comes on over the intercom: “Ladies and Gentleman, please look down below on Lake Michigan. Notice the ice pack extending out from the shoreline. I have been flying this route for 25 years, and I have never seen it more than 8 miles from shore before. Right now it is 20 miles out. For you younger passengers, this is something you can tell your grandchildren.” Or fellow bloggers on a Roanoke, Virginia weather blog. :>) :>)
By the way, it was 53* in San Fran and the earth was brown all over northern Calif., one of their worst droughts ever. We landed in Honolulu at 7:30 PM Hawaiian time and it was a frigid 76*. An amazing journey with 3 markedly different climates and weather situations.

By: Donnie

Donnie — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 04:09:05 +0000

Blacksburg Mike, I agree it is better to be in Blacksburg or Roanoke long term for snow than DC. Even Lynchburg or Bedford probably over time would get more snow than Reagan National Airport, which is almost at sea level.

Our area did better than DC from the 1960′s through the Mid 1990′s, but they have more large snowstorms since then. It will turn back around I’m sure.

By: Kevin Myatt

Kevin Myatt — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 03:52:51 +0000

There are enough Northerners in Florida that they shouldn’t be that shocked.

By: Randy Oakey Cahas Mtn

Randy Oakey Cahas Mtn — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 03:48:59 +0000

Yes and they had snow flurries in Nassau and Freeport which caused all the shops to close so they could watch their big event and my new bride along with myself got to see it all. Interstate battery also has the lights that you can strap to your head. Work very well I might add

By: Donnie

Donnie — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 03:45:44 +0000

I had an uncle who lived in Tampa and also had snow in 1977. He said everyone was going crazy. Can I drive in this, what do I do??? We then asked how much snow did Tampa get from this monster snow? His answer was 1/2 an inch.

By: Kevin Myatt

Kevin Myatt — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 03:43:57 +0000

… and I just want a mountaintop retreat on the West Virginia line …

By: Blacksburg Mike

Blacksburg Mike — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 03:42:32 +0000

Donnie and KM, very true about some of those more recent storms; however, they tend to buck the historical trends. Most of the time, but certainly not always, west is best and east is least, if you want snow in VA. Most long term snowfall averages support this as well, with historical averages for annual snowfall greater along the I-81 corridor vs. the I-95 corridor. Does not always work out that way, but I would rather be sitting near I-81 than I-95 anytime a snow storm was on the way. Mostly, though, just wanted to have some fun with Jared up in Greene. Really do hope he gets a good snow soon. Hopefully we all cash in this Friday!

By: Kevin Myatt

Kevin Myatt — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 03:30:45 +0000

Right on all three, Donnie. Check with B’burg Mike about your new mountaintop estate …

But right now, we’re really on a run of significant snows that miss DC but hit farther south — Feb. 19 and March 4 of last winter and the recent Jan. 17 snow.

By: Donnie

Donnie — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 03:19:42 +0000

Kevin, I think you can add February 10-11 2010 with 2 to 4 inches here, and 10+ inches in the DC area. Also February 11-12 2006 with 5-8 inches here and 8 to 12 inches near DC. January 26,2011 with less than an inch here and 5+ in the DC area.

That north-south vs east-west division has been very frustrating the last 10 to 15 years. It’s why DC has had more 10+ inch snowstorms than our area has had since 1996.