Virginia is no stranger to severe weather. From hurricanes to heavy snowfall, floods, and extreme heat, it seems that no corner of the state is spared from intense phenomena. Yet few people realize that over a hundred years ago, the state experienced one of the worst winter storms in its recorded history. It was known as the Blizzard of 1899 and it actually included two unique events: the Great Arctic Outbreak and the Great Eastern Blizzard. Here’s more on one of the worst blizzards in history and how it affected Virginia.

The year was 1899. The U.S. was about to experience one of its most memorable blizzards in history, mostly affecting states east of the Rockies.
United States Department of Agriculture / Wikipedia
On February 11th, a record-high barometric pressure was recorded in present-day Saskatchewan of 31.42 inches of mercury.
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This extreme weather event brought not only heavy snowfall to most of the country but also record-breaking low temperatures.
Douglas Rissing / Getty Images

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Here in Virginia, the Great Arctic Outbreak and the Great Eastern Blizzard combined resulted in a total of 54 inches of snow being dumped on Warrenton, Virginia.
Robert Llewellyn / Getty Images
Quantico recorded a temperature of negative 20 degrees F. Moreover, the month was so cold and crippling that authorities rationed food supplies.
Tim Pennington / Getty Images
Of course, Virginia wasn't the only state affected by this once-in-a-generation storm. Temperatures were so cold that ice flowed down the Mississippi River all the way to the Gulf of Mexico!
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Who knows when the next severe snowstorm or temperature plummet will happen -- in the meantime, we are grateful for our relatively mild winters.
Eifel Kreutz / Getty Images

Did any of your relatives live through the Blizzard of 1899? Do you remember hearing any stories about this growing up? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments below — we’d love to hear from you! And, if you’re inspired to gear up for the cold weather, be sure to check out these warm winter jackets.

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