Snowiest Day On Record: The Day Fairfax Co. Saw 25.5 Inches Fall

FAIRFAX, VA — Only a few centenarians may remember April 15, 1921, the day it snowed 76 inches in Boulder County, Colorado. An analysis of government weather data shows the snowfall record for a single day isn't as high in Fairfax County, but that record snowstorm might still be fresh in our minds.

In Fairfax County, the biggest one-day snowfall was 25.5 inches on Feb. 6, 2010, commonly known as "Snowmageddon." The highest three-day snow recording in Fairfax County happened the next day with a total of 33.5 inches.

In Virginia, the one-day record goes to Loudoun County, when it snowed 36.6 inches on Jan. 24, 2016.

Here are the one-day records in neighboring counties:

• Prince William County: 20 inches on Jan. 28, 1922
• Arlington County, 18 inches: Jan. 30, 1966
• Alexandria, 14.4 inches: Feb. 6, 2010
• Loudoun County: 36.6 inches: Jan. 24, 2016

Do you remember the February 2010 Snowmageddon? Share your memories in the comments.

With two months of winter left, it would take some unexpected weather to break those records. The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicted a cold, snowy winter throughout much of the United States, with at least seven big snowstorms from one coast to the other. The mountainous western Virginia can expect wintry conditions, but forecasters believe eastern Virginia and much of the east coast will see a wet rather than snowy winter.

The competing Farmers’ Almanac predicts that the eastern two-thirds of the United States can expect a snowy ride through the rest of the winter. In Virginia, the Farmers' Almanac predicts wet and cold conditions in late January, with very cold air plunging its way into the region by early February. Snow mixed with rain likely won't hit the forecast until mid February.

Historical weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows every state in the country, even tropical Hawaii, has seen snow. A February 1936 storm that dumped 6½ inches of snow on Maui was impressive even by Midwest and Northeast standards. The only other time that Hawaii had an extreme snowfall was in December 1958, when the Big Island got 4½ inches.

In the short term, the seven-day National Weather Service prediction for Fairfax calls for:

• Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 39 and mostly clear at night, with a low around 22.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 44. The night will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 31.
• Friday: A chance of rain after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. At night expect rain with a low around 42. Chance of precipitation at night is 90 percent.
• Saturday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. The night will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 34.
• Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 47 and mostly cloudy at night, with a low around 33.
• Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45 and partly cloudy at night, with a low around 32.
• Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 47.