Winter snowstorm Kingston arrived in Virginia Beach on Wednesday, February 19, bringing with it strong winds, slick roads, and frigid temperatures.
In preparation for the storm, Governor of Virginia Glenn Youngkin maintained the state of emergency issued on Monday, February 10, urging residents to stay indoors and off the roads until the storm passed, according to WTKR.
This led Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS), and most other districts in the region, to close schools and facilities, and issue an asynchronous day for students and staff.
Despite the blistering cold winds coming off the ocean, multiple media outlets, including Falcon Press, braced themselves for the frigid temperatures to take live shots, conduct interviews, and take footage of the incoming storm.
Virginians flocked the Oceanfront in search of renowned Weather Channel Meteorologist Jim Cantore, who traveled to Virginia Beach to cover the storm. As Cantore reported on the snowstorm from the boardwalk, residents ventured out into the bitter cold to meet him and take pictures.
With full coverage from Cantore, Fox Weather’s Ian Oliver, and Christian Broadcasting Network’s (CBN) Brody Carter, the storm made national news.
Oliver and I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Carter about our snowstorm coverage, and the likelihood of having a significant amount of snow in the local area.
“There’s already been about a foot and a half so far this year, six to ten inches of snow in the forecast. “ Oliver said. “For this one, I think we’re standing in the sweet spot.” (CBN News)
Hampton Roads residents had been preparing for snowstorm Kingston since Tuesday, February 18. Many residents stocked up on goods and bought snow supplies in advance after multiple local news stations reported the arrival of a large snowstorm.
Three separate weather models, EURO, NAM, and GFS, did show different snow accumulation forecasts for the incoming storm. According to 13NewsNow, URO and NAM predicted around eight inches of snow, but GFS estimated up to 10 inches.
The snowfall began at 12:30 p.m. and ended early on the morning of Thursday, February 20, with a few snowflakes in the afternoon. The final snow accumulation was between six inches to over one foot across Virginia Beach. Due to the heavy snowfall, schools remained closed through Friday, February 21, with the snow finally beginning to thaw on Saturday.
The record snowfall made history in Virginia after 15 years with little to no snow. According to Current Results, there have only been four instances where the state has reached the “double digits”, the last time was in 2010 with almost 14 inches. This is compared to 3.5 inches in 2022 measured at the Norfolk International Airport (ORF) and 0.5 inches in 2009 for Virginia Beach.
