The first official day of winter is either on December 21 or 22nd every year. When it comes to Meteorological data, we classify winter as starting on December 1st. Winter data is calculated for December, January and February.

Throughout the winter months, high temperatures average in the 40s and low temperatures average in the 20s for Harrisonburg. January is the coldest month with an average high of 42 and an average low of 22. February is actually the snowiest month averaging 6.4″ of snow.

HOW TO MEASURE SNOW PROPERLY

It’s more than just putting a ruler in the grass

Measuring Snow

Measuring 2 inches of snow from January 6th's snowstorm.

CURRENT AND PAST SEASON SNOWFALL AMOUNTS AND PAST STORMS

Recent Winters and Local Historical/Climatology

Snowfall so far this season 2022-2023

Snow coming down in Downtown Harrisonburg

Winter Climatology/Averages/Records

Average winter temps, snowfall and winter extremes

Local major snow/ice/winter storms of the past

What's the worst snowstorm? The worst ice storm? Take a look at some of these major winter storms of our past:

Snow storm of 1962, and ice storm of 1978

CURRENT SNOW DATA AND SNOW DEPTH

The National Weather Service has a fantastic interactive website for looking at current snow cover, snow depth, and moisture content:

AVERAGE SNOWFALL

Average snowfall across the Shenandoah Valley ranged from about 20-25.”

Across the Potomac Highlands, it’s quite the range from about 20″ to 40″ depending on elevation.

For the Allegheny mountains, the snowfall can be extreme. Ranging anywhere from 80″-nearly 200″ of snow per season!

1991-2020 seasonal snow average(Brian Brettschneider | WHSV)

AVERAGE WINTER HIGH TEMPERATURES

BIGGEST SNOW YEARS

Take a look at the top snowiest seasons from across our area

Bayard, WV	Woodstock, VA	Luray (SNP Ranger Station)	Dale Enterprise (Harrisonburg)	Staunton
2009-2010: 284″	1960-1961: 65″	1960-1961: 65″	1917-1918: 72″	2009-2010: 65″
1995-1996: 197″	2009-2010: 65″	1993-1994: 61″	1898-1899: 60″	1898-1899: 61″
2021-2013: 171″	2002-2003: 60″	1963-1964: 59″	1961-1962: 59″	1977-1978: 55″
DATA SINCE 1903	DATA SINCE 1890	DATA SINCE: 1941	DATA SINCE 1893	DATA SINCE 1893

LOWEST SNOW YEARS

Here are the lowest snow years on record across our area:

Bayard, WV	Woodstock, VA	Luray (SNP Ranger Station)	Dale Enterprise (Harrisonburg)	Staunton
1937-1938: 29″	1980-1981: 0.70″	1991-1992: T	2019-2020: 3.4″	1980-1981: 1.3″
1924-1925: 36″	1931-1932: 1.8″	1980-1981: 1″	2016-2017: 3.4″	2016-2017: 2.8″
1931-1932: 38″	1919-1920: 2.5″	2010-2011: 2.3″	1991-1992: 3.4″	2019-2020: 3.1″
DATA SINCE 1903	DATA SINCE 1890	DATA SINCE: 1941	DATA SINCE 1893	DATA SINCE 1893