North Carolina, Virginia snow droughts may soon come to an end

The significant snow drought we’ve seen across the Mid-Atlantic and North Carolina in recent years may meet its match in the winter storm that’s brewing for this weekend.

While it’s still too soon to call out exact precipitation types and amounts, the pattern as of now appears favorable for someone somewhere in the region to experience a memorable snowstorm.

Where might a high-end storm rank in recent history, and in the record books? For starters, it’s been a long while since many areas have seen a solid thump of snow. 

Cities from Philadelphia to Charlotte have seen below-average snowfall totals more often than not over the past decade.

Greensboro, North Carolina, hasn’t seen more than 4 inches of snow in one storm since December 2018.

Richmond, Virginia, hasn’t seen more than 6 inches of snow since the same 2018 storm.

Washington, D.C., experienced a few decent snows last winter, making for its first above-average season in six years. But the capital city hasn’t seen 8 inches or more in one storm since January 2019, and it’s been more than 14 years since the last time a foot of snow fell on Washington-National Airport.