Severe Winter Storm
Winter storms can range from very local but intense freezing rainfall to county — or even statewide blizzards. Low temperatures, precipitation, and strong winds can make roads dangerous or even impossible to travel, down power lines, and disrupt other services.
Winter storms are among the most common of hazards for Virginia. They have prompted Presidential disaster declarations in dozens of Virginia jurisdictions once or twice every couple of years. In Blacksburg, record-setting snows have totaled more than three feet in just four or five days. Transportation and power lines are usually affected. Roads and debris must be cleared, but long-term damage is limited. Health and private property impacts are normally manageable, especially when the public takes due precautions.
