Virginia

10 MEMORABLE UVA SNOWSTORMS

Here’s a look at some of the largest recorded snowfalls in UVA’s history, as documented by photography and newspaper records.



Editor’s note: This story first appeared on UVA Today on Jan. 21, 2016.

The University of Virginia’s McCormick Observatory has kept official snowfall records since 1894. Here’s a look at some of the largest recorded snowfalls in UVA’s history, as documented by photography and newspaper records.

1. Jan. 27-28, 1922 — 24.0 inches



To date, this is the largest recorded snowfall in Charlottesville history. The Charlottesville Daily Progress reported “traffic by auto almost completely suspended and electric cars unable to run.” Records indicate it was later dubbed “the Knickerbocker Storm.”

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2. Jan. 7-8, 1996 — 21.0 inches



Area schools were closed for an entire week, but fortunately, the University was between semesters – and January Term had not yet been instituted.

3. Dec. 19-20, 2009 — 20.5 inches



Image via Mount Chipotle National Research Laboratory

This storm gave rise to the infamous student-created “Mount Chipotle National Research Laboratory,” named for a massive pile of plowed snow in Barracks Road Shopping Center near a certain fast-food establishment. The students maintained a pool seeking predictions on when the pile would finally melt. The group’s blog still exists online. {edited: no, it doesn't. Maybe someone still maintains it, but the link doesn't work anymore.}

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10. Feb. 2-3, 1996 — 14.0 inches



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