Does It Snow in Virginia? Snowiest Places and Average Amounts

Virginia’s average low temperatures range from 29º to 35º F in Arlington, Richmond, and Norfolk. High temperatures are in the 43º to 50º F in those same cities. December and January are the coldest months, but snowfall relies on moisture and cold temperatures. Winter’s climate doesn’t often dip below freezing in Virginia. That begs the question, does it snow in Virginia? Yes, it does.

Even with a milder winter climate that rarely experiences bitter cold temperatures, snowfall in Virginia is substantial. Several massive storms and blizzards have blanketed the state with feet of snow. Explore the five greatest one-day, two-day, and three-day snowfall totals as recorded by the NOAA and compare those storms to the average snowfall in Virginia.

The 10 Snowiest Places in Virginia

Weatherspark’s statistical data places the statewide average annual snowfall at 23.1 inches, but it comes down to area. Coastal regions don’t see the same snowfall totals as mountain towns.

The NOAA offers a wealth of weather statistics, including average Virginia snowfall for the towns and cities that get enough to track. Ten of those towns and cities receive well over a foot per year on average.

1. Burke’s Garden (39.4 inches)

Burke’s Garden is a valley and unincorporated community in Tazewell County that sits at 3,074 feet in elevation. Surrounded by Garden Mountain, this is the highest valley in Virginia and is a rural historic district with a large population of Amish.

2. Wise (39.4 inches)

The small town of Wise has a subtropical highland climate, which means mild winters. However, Wise sits in the mountainous area of Virginia between the High Knob Lookout Tower in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forest and the Birch Knob Observation Tower in Pine Mountain, and that area is known for substantial snowfall totals.

3. Nora (38.3 inches)

Nora’s elevation isn’t as high as other areas in this list, but it’s in the western point of Virginia, which is far from the ocean where snowfall is minimal. Due to the presence of natural gas in the Huran Shale deposits, the economy of the unincorporated community, once tied to coal mining, is transitioning towards natural gas production.

4. Mustoe (36.2 inches)

Mustoe is an unincorporated community in Northwest Virginia. It sits at an elevation of 2,382 feet and borders the Jackson River. It’s in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forest, which plays a role in the heavy annual snowfall totals because of the higher mountain elevations.

5. Clintwood (34.7 inches)

Many of Virginia’s snowbelt areas are in the southwestern point of the state, and Clintwood is another from that area. At 1,755 feet in elevation, the town isn’t as high as others. It still gets a lot of snow each year.

6. Mill Gap (30.7 inches)

Mill Gap earned its name due to its position between Lantz Mountain and Little Mountain. It’s a tiny unincorporated community in Northwest Virginia in an area nicknamed “Virginia’s Little Switzerland.”

7. Blacksburg (21.2 inches)

Blackburg is near the West Virginia border and is a bustling college town because Virginia Tech calls this area home. While the average annual snowfall isn’t as high as in other Virginia towns, two feet of snow fell in a 2010 snowstorm known as “Snowmaggedon.” That wet, heavy snow caused the high school’s roof to collapse.

8. Christiansburg (20.5 inches)

Situated north of Claytor Lake State Park and just east of the West Virginia border, Christiansburg abuts the George Washington & Jefferson State Park. It’s a town that’s seen many famous historic residents, including Daniel Boone, William Clark, and Davy Crockett. As Christiansburg is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, annual snowfall amounts are high.

9. Wytheville (18.4 inches)

Wytheville is also in the Blue Ridge Mountains and sees an abundance of snow each year. It’s in the southwest point of the state, near the North Carolina border.

10. Staunton (17.9 inches)

Staunton is the only city on this list and the Augusta County seat. The northern city sits in the Shenandoah Valley, and the Allegheny and Blue Ridge Mountains surround Staunton. This ensures the city receives a lot of snow each year due to the higher elevation.

Big Meadows Experienced Three Massive Virginia Snowstorms

Those are the averages, but some extremes prove Virginia gets plenty of snow. One of the biggest snowstorms in Virginia occurred in 1987, and that November blizzard coated Washington Dulles International Airport with 11 inches of snow. That storm wasn’t close to these other Virginia and East Coast blizzards. Big Meadows’ snowfall totals reached a mind-blowing 49 inches from a three-day storm in 1996.

That’s just one of three massive snowfalls in Big Meadows. Big Meadows calls the Shenandoah National Park home. It’s a recreational area near Luray that covers about 1/10^th of an acre. Its location near Blackrock Mountain is ideal for Virginia’s heaviest snowfall.

One of the first major storms here left 33 inches. Almost three feet of snow fell on March 6, 1962, in just one day. Almost 34 years later, on January 1, 2007, a two-day storm would dump 48 inches of snow.

So, yes, it does snow in Virginia. With the temperatures being a bit warmer, the snow that falls is wet, sticky snow that’s ideal for going outside and making snowpeople and other fun objects. One of my kid’s favorites is a snow ant or caterpillar, which doesn’t require you to stack the giant snowballs. No matter what you build, have fun playing in the newly fallen snow.