The Blizzard Of 1966

Winters in southwest Virginia are often unpredictable. It can feel like Miami, or even Maine all in the same week.All it takes is one big storm to change the perception of an a winter.

The winter of 1965-66 started out much like this winter. Only 1/2" of snow had fallen at the Roanoke Regional Airport through January 1st.The winter of 1965-66 was much like this year, only a half inch of snow fell before January 1st. The weather turned rapidly raw after the New Year. A blizzard struck Virginia and the Northeastern United States. It was the second snowstorm to hit Virginia in a week. At the same time snow drifts formed, arctic air was settling in dropping temperatures into the teens.

January 1966 ended up going down as Roanoke's snowiest on record with 41 inches.
On the other hand, the Roanoke Valley has been through winters with very little snowfall.
In the winter of 1975-76, only ONE INCH of snow fell in Roanoke. Below are some of the least snowiest years.We're getting all the ingredients for a major winter storm, cold air and moisture, but they just can't seem to coordinate their visit. Don't put away your sled just yet. There's always a chance.

The National Weather Service in Blacksburg has compiled data for southwest Virginia winters. Below you'll find some of the statistics.

Average Snowfall = 22.9 inches
Greatest Snow = 22.2 inches in Jan. 1996
Snowiest Month = 41.2 inches in Jan. 1966
Coldest Temperature = -11°F in Jan. 1985

Click video player below for raw film footage of the snow storm of 1966.