THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 9, 1997 TAG: 9702090095
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: 53 lines
Just as it got cold enough to snow, the well ran dry.
Hampton Roads residents who have been aching for snow found themselves teased with snow flurries Saturday night. But they came at the tail end of a storm system that was moving rapidly to the northeast.
There were a few, brief, enthusiastic bursts of snow around the region, but nothing that lasted by the time it hit the ground. And by 11 p.m., it was largely over.
Today should be mostly cloudy with a high around 40. Tonight is exected to be clear with a low in the low 30s.
Heading off to work Monday, skies should remain partly cloudy with a high again in the mid 40s.
The developing coastal storm was east of North Carolina's Outer Banks at midday. It produced light snow over central Virginia and the lower Maryland Eastern Shore into the evening.
By midnight, the storm had sped to the northeast, bringing snow to Philadelphia, New York and to the suburbs of Boston. But the most of the heaviest snowfall was right at the coastline or offshore.
Strong winds were spreading across Cape Cod and adjacent islands as the storm intensified. And the National Weather Service said near blizzard conditions could be expected overnight on Nantucket Island.
The storm is expected to be largely over by this morning, however.
It wasn't as bad across most of Virginia as had been originally feared.
The heaviest snowfall was reported in the Staunton area, with 9 inches, and in Charlottesville, where 8 inches fell. Almost 6 inches fell in Harrisonburg with 5 inches in Annandale and Fairfax and 3 inches in Fredericksburg.
Only 3 inches was reported in Washington at National Airport. But just west at Dulles Internaltional Airport, 7 inches fell.
Tow truck drivers in the southwestern Virginia town of Christiansburg were ready for a busy day. But when Robert's Towing and Repair received a scant three calls by 1 p.m., many drivers went home and took a nap.
``Usually we're plumb swamped with the snow . . . but today, most of my guys left,'' employee Annette Marshall told the Associated Press.
The meager snowfall didn't stop Virginians from desperation trips to grocery stores or hardware shops.
Scores of shoppers worried that a blizzard would hit and crowded the Community Pride Grocery in Richmond.
``They're taking everything we got,'' one cashier said. ``They all think the weather is going to get worse.''
In central Virginia, motorists in Charlottesville and Afton Mountain on Interstate 64 experienced minor delays because of snow. VDOT reported moderate delays in Rockingham and Shenandoah counties.
All winter storm warnings and weather advisories were lifted by late Saturday.