Low points of Virginia weather woes

Flash flooding and river flooding are Virginia’s deadliest weather duo — although it is seemingly more dramatic weather that has made the record books.

The first historical reference to a major hurricane that could have affected the Virginia coast was on Aug. 24, 1635.

The hard winter of 1779-1780 was so cold that ice was said to have been piled 20 feet high along the Virginia coast and stayed there until spring.

The “Great Coastal Hurricane of 1806” helped form the Willoughby Spit.

One of the most violent hurricanes on record dates from Sept. 3, 1821. A correspondent at Old Point Comfort wrote: “When the wind changed, the water broke in on the island and almost covered it. By its force a number of buildings were destroyed...prostrated fences, and entered every building...”

“The Great Labor Day Hurricane” of Sept. 5, 1935, while known for its destruction of the Florida Keys, caused major flooding in central Virginia and spawned five to seven tornadoes that killed three people and injured 21.

The “Great Hurricane” on Sept. 14, 1944, dumped heavy rain and record high winds of up to 150 mph in the Virginia Beach area. More than 300 World War II servicemen died when a destroyer, two Coast Guard cutters, and a minesweeper sank because of the storm.

The “Ash Wednesday Storm” of March 5-9, 1962, hit the Virginia coast, causing huge waves to topple houses into the ocean and break through Virginia Beach’s concrete boardwalk. Heavy snows fell inland, setting records as Virginia’s greatest 24-hour snowfall with 33 inches and the greatest single storm snowfall with 42 inches.

In January 1977, the Bicentennial winter was the coldest seen on the East Coast since before the founding of the republic. The cold wave penetrated into the South and on Jan. 19, snowflakes were seen in Miami, Fla.

In 1993, the so-called “Storm of the Century” brought three feet of snow in western Virginia and produced snowdrifts of up to 12 feet.

The ice storm of 1994 coated portions of Virginia with one to three inches of ice from freezing rain and sleet, resulting in the loss of up to 20 percent of the trees in some counties.

In 2003, Hurricane Isabel caused 32 deaths and almost $2 billion in damage, making it the most costly weather disaster to Virginians in the 21st century.

In fact, hurricanes have been an increasing threat to Virginians, with seven between 2003 and 2004. And the storm of July 2006 flooded many parts of Blacksburg, including the Virginia Tech campus.

 

Hurricane Floyd left the downtown section of Franklin, Virginia, under six feet of water in September 1999. Here, the water has begun to recede but hazards still include propane tanks, gas tanks, chemical barrels, and pesticides.