Winter Weather — Eastern Loudoun, Virginia

2021-01-31 · Eastern Loudoun, Virginia

Event narrative

Wintry precipitation continued at times into February 2nd.

Wider weather episode

Closed low pressure slowly tracked into the Ohio Valley on the 31st before transferring its energy to low pressure off the Mid-Atlantic Coast on the 1st of February. The coastal low slowly tracked northeast while intensifying through midday on February the 2nd.

Snow overspread the area on the 31st of January ahead of the first low. Drier air and warmer air moved in aloft, causing snow to change to a light wintry mix on the night of the 31st into the 1st. However, another period of snow developed as the coastal low strengthened to the east later on the 1st and that continued into the 2nd.

Total snowfall accumulations ranged from 3 to 5 inches around Interstate 95, to around 4 to 8 inches over central Virginia into the central Shenandoah Valley, to around 8 to 16 inches across the northern Shenandoah Valley. Ice accumulation was around a tenth of an inch east of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 937212. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.