 Virginia has an annual average of 35 – 45 days of thunderstorm activity , particularly in the western part of the state , and an average annual precipitation of 42 @.@ 7 inches ( 108 cm ) . Cold air masses arriving over the mountains in winter can lead to significant snowfalls , such as the Blizzard of 1996 and winter storms of 2009 – 2010 . The interaction of these elements with the state 's topography creates distinct microclimates in the Shenandoah Valley , the mountainous southwest , and the coastal plains . Virginia averages seven tornadoes annually , most F2 or lower on the Fujita scale . 
