From the Archives: In 1979, Richmond experienced one of its worst winter storms
The morning of Feb. 18, 1979, began in record low temperatures with a forecast for “an inch or two of snow on the way.” At midnight, the thermometer at the Byrd Field Weather Station read 9 degrees, eclipsing the record for the date of 11 degrees, set in 1900. Less than 24 hours later, the “worst snow of the winter” gripped the state of Virginia.
“A blustery, frigid snowstorm—Virginia’s worst this winter—barreled across the state yesterday,” a front page reported on February 19. 1979. Snow accumulations by then had reached up to 15 inches in portions of the state—with snow still falling.
02-19-1979: Virginia Commonwealth University students have massive snowball fight.
02-19-1979: Virginia Commonwealth University students have massive snowball fight.
02-20-1979: Snow scene in Richmond during President's Day Storm.
02-20-1979: Grace Street in downtown Richmond during the President's Day Storm.
02-21-1979: City buldozers clear snow from streets in downtown Richmond following President's Day Storm.
02-30-1979: City snow plows clear snow from roads in Richmond area following President's Day Storm.
02-30-1979: City snow plows clear snow from roads in Richmond area following President's Day Storm.
02-30-1979: City snow plows clear snow from roads in Richmond area following President's Day Storm.
02-20-1979: Richmonder enjoy snow day.
02-02-1979: Downtown Expressway tollbooths following President's Day Storm.
02-20-1979: Children build snowmen in median on Monument Avenue.
02-29-1979 (cutline): Herb Proffitt drove his tractor to aid of Don Garber, shoveling his driveway. He pressed his vehicle into service to help neighbors dig out from the big snow.
02-19-1979 (cutline): Workers in essential jobs walked, drove their cars or rode the bus today; eastward view of Broad Street hill shows 'rush hour.'
02-19-1979: President's Day Storm
02-20-1979: People walk to work up Broad Street hill following the snow storm.
02-19-1979 (cutline): Richmond man wonders if snow plows helped or hurt.
02-20-1979: Richmond snow plow at work.
02-20-1979 (cutline): Activites slowed down considerably under the weight of the snow yesterday and a few people went out. But Constance Ramsey, a former Richmond resident and a College of William and Mary gradute, traveled around Williamsburg with little difficulty. After all, skis were designed for such weather; cars weren't.
02-20-1979: Richmond city snow plow clears roads.
02-22-1979: Plows worked to clear roads in downtown Richmond.
02-19-1979: Snow is cleared from shopping center at Glenside and Staples Mill.
02-20-1979: Scene from Patterson Ave. following the President's Day storm.
Coming off a six-day water crisis, Richmond officials on Saturday morning declared the city’s water supply safe to drink, leaving restaurants, coffee shops, markets and more thrilled to get back to serving the community.
Va. Gov. Abigail Spanberger's chief of staff filed an $18 million defamation lawsuit against prominent political consultant Ben Tribbett.
