HAMPTON ROADS MAJOR WINTER STORM

January 29-31, 2014

As the month of January 2014 came to an end, the Hampton Roads area saw several snow storms with accumulating snows with the week of the 29th-31st being the biggest of the year. 

The storm system developed in the southern portion of the country and started making its way east towards the east coast. The system would develop pretty intensely as it moved off the southeast coast and made its way off the North Carolina east coast.  Moisture being thrown back in off the water in to the arctic air pushing in from the northwest delivered a winter storm punch not seen across the area since the December 25-26, 2010 winter storm where many areas saw 10" to as much as 12-14 inches.  However, with this winter storm a larger area saw mostly 10-12 inches with nearly 9.8 inches in Virginia Beach closest to the coast. 

As the night wore on, the heavier snow bands moved over the area brining near an inch an hour rates at times.  Maybe even closer to an inch and a half an hour a few times over night.  I travel out and shot some video and photos as the storm moved in and continued to blanket the area with the dry powdery white stuff.  The next was spent shoveling out and hanging out with the neighbor and their 2 dogs playing in the afternoon sun and 10 inches of snow.  It was back to work on the 30th where I arrived early that morning to shoot a few photos of the sunrise in what turned out to be one of the coldest days I have experienced. Although it was reported to be in the low teens to single digits at my home in Portsmouth, just a few miles west into Suffolk, it was -6 F.  A true artic blast for the area with close to a foot of snow on the ground helped it stick around for quite a while until the next system moved in and dumped several more inches, but nothing like this one.

Below you will see the photos from the early evening on the 28th into the 29th of the snow falling and sunlight hours of the 29th. Plus a few of the photos on the 30th in the -6 F temps.

Video to come:

In Chesapeake, Va. along Portsmouth Blvd. as the snow began to cover the area.

Looking east along Portsmouth Blvd in Chesapeake

Sunset on January 29, 2014. Got out of order somehow, but here it is.

This little guy didn't look to happy to see all the snow.

Time for lunch in the cold and snow!

Hate to eat and run...

This guy was cleaning up as the other birds made a mess. He did just fine from the ground.

Porter, neck deep and having a blast in what was his second snowfall.

Apparently someone drove through the edge of my yard cutting a small path in the snow and Stella found it.

Stella watching the birds and other dogs playing next door.

Porter taking a break from bouncing through the snow.  Keeping an eye on his sister-Stella.

Back at it playing and having a blast.  These 2 had to work hard in 10 inches of snow!

Porter trying to keep up with his big sister!

Something you rarely see here in Hampton Roads, enough snow to do this! Neighborhood kids getting a tow.

Taken in Suffolk at the T.C.C. campus in the early morning hours of the 30th. Temp was -6F.

Another shot from a little different angle.

Again, early morning hours of the 30th as the sun started to rise in Suffolk.

A young couple enjoying a beautiful snowy sunset on January 31, 2014 in Portsmouth.

January 31, 2014 sunset in Portsmouth.