ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, VA (Rocktown Now) — A rare, relentless sleet storm left parts of the Shenandoah Valley reeling this weekend, with multiple poultry houses and greenhouses reported collapsed under the extraordinary weight of accumulated sleet and frozen precipitation.

Farmers across Rockingham County and neighboring areas say they cannot recall another storm that delivered 10 to 12 hours of uninterrupted sleet. Many described the sound of ice pellets hammering metal roofs throughout the day on Sunday. One farmer described the weight of the sleet to WSVA as “the equivalent of sand being poured on the poultry house roof all day long.”

Early reports indicate that multiple poultry houses in Rockingham County had live birds inside when their structures collapsed. The full extent of poultry and property losses remains unclear as farmers and emergency crews continue assessing damage. Several operations are still inaccessible due to icy conditions, slowing the recovery process.

It may take days before local officials, greenhouses, and poultry producers can tally the total impact on local agriculture, but the storm has already delivered a sobering reminder of how vulnerable farm infrastructure can be to extreme winter weather.