Weather Event: Blizzard of 1996
Location of Observation: Midlothian, Virginia
Precipitation Type: Heavy Snow
Dates of Observation: January 6-7, 1996
Official Observation/Storm Total from RIC: 11.5″
Synoptic Overview of Storm System: The storm formed in the Gulf of Mexico the morning of the 6th, moved south of Alabama the evening of the 6th, reached Savannah, Georgia the morning of the 7th, Cape Hattaras the evening of the 7th, just east of the Delaware Bay the morning of the 8th, and the southern New England coastal waters the evening of the 8th. This was a classic storm track for heavy snow.
Personal Observations & Memories: Besides the January 2000 snowstorm, some of my best snow memories were created by this storm. I still remember when the first flakes began to fall with this storm system. The air was cold from the onset so all of the snow stuck right away to the grass and pavement. Snowfall intensity remained fairly light through the early afternoon until about nightfall. By the evening, the brunt of the storm was moving into the area. Incredibly heavy snow began falling from sunset until almost 4 AM in the morning. I ventured out with friends in the heavy snowfall, amazed at how quickly the snow piled up. It come as a disappointment later on in the evening when the snow fall began to taper off and change to sleet. If my memory serves me correctly, the sleet lasted for a few hours, compacting the 10-12 inches that had fallen already. Wrap around snow came to the rescue later on the 7th, adding another shot of 6-10 inches on what had already fallen. Unofficial measurements taken by me at the time easily pegged this storm between 18-19″ of snow in Central Chesterfield. it would be a couple days later where a second system left Central Virginia with 3-6″ of more snow on top of what had already fallen.
At the time of this storm, I was 13 years old and in 8th grade. This storm hit metropolitan Richmond not long after school resumed from Winter Break. Schools ended up closing for nearly 2 weeks (8.5 days total, eight full days off with 2 school days with delayed openings) and most of the midterm exams canceled due to the snowfall. As a student, I was elated to have all of my exams cancelled!
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It is absolutely a tragedy the volume of storms in Alabama this April. I hope those poor souls are left alone and can heal.