30th anniversary of Richmond’s last blizzard

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- This week marks the 30th anniversary of the three-day "Blizzard of 1996" that hit the metro Richmond area, marking the last time a true blizzard warning was issued for Central Virginia.

The storm began on a Saturday afternoon, with snow continuing on Sunday before lingering into Monday, with lighter precipitation hitting the area. However, the snow continued to hit the East Coast hard.

The storm and the superstorm of 1993 -- which gave Richmond three inches of snow -- are the only two winter storms classified as Category 5 on the Northeast Snow Impact Scale.

StormTracker8 meteorologists Matt DiNardo and Madison Olms broke down the historic 1996 blizzard in Richmond on an episode of WRIC NOW's StormTracker8 Beyond the Forecast.

"This was the last time a true blizzard warning was issued for Central Virginia," DiNardo said on the StormTracker8 Beyond the Forecast show.

Some parts of Philadelphia received 30 inches of snow, and New York City experienced its first school closings due to snow since the 1970s. It also hit Washington, D.C. and Baltimore in what is described by DiNardo as a "crippling" blizzard.

Richmond ended with a foot of snow at the Richmond International Airport (RIC), with higher amounts of snow in the West End.

Even though the snow was done by midday Monday, many remember school being shut down for weeks, not being able to go to work and a rush to the grocery stores.

Children were out of Chesterfield County schools for nine days during this period.

The following winter, Richmonders did not see winter weather as extreme as of the historic 1996 blizzard. Schools only closing for the weather for one day during the 1996-97 school year.

Hurricane Fran hit the Richmond area on Friday, Sept. 6, marking the largest power outages in Virginia.