Tommy Stafford
Nelson County Life Magazine
Good Sunday,
Before I get off into the weather, be sure to look below the forecast stuff here for lots of stories and pictures from this weekend’s events around the area. Simply scroll below the forecast after you’re finished reading.
Finally after days and days of clouds we will finally see the sun today. Though it will be windy and cool, the sun will make it feel much better. After tonight’s chance of light frost (see below) it gets even better for the coming week with temps returning to seasonal norms.
Local satellite already shows clearing skies on the way.
Today’s Forecast Map
Two things to deal with today and tonight before we have clear sailing. The wind and the possibility of light frost tonight in some areas. This won’t be anything like we saw a month ago where temps hit the 20’s for five nights in a row, but with clear sikes and cool Canadian air filtering down tonight it could happen in some areas. There is already a frost advisory out on the other side of the mountain in the Shenandoah Valley.
The winds will be gusty today, touching 30+ MPH at times due to the high pressure to our north and areas of low pressure to the east. And old saying, the higher the high and the lower the low the more the wind will blow. That’s the case here as the two try to play their game of equalization! It will be most noticeable east of the Blue Ridge as mentioned in the NWS discussion out of Blacksburg this morning.
Near term /until 6 PM this evening/…
noticable airmass change coming this morning. Cold front now
moving through northern Virginia with a sharp dewpoint gradient followed by
stiff northeast winds. Rainfall has all but diminished ahead of
the front. Expecting plenty of sun today pushing temperatures into the
60s in most places despite the strong cold air……..Northeast gradient winds
will be gusting to near 30 miles per hour at times…especially east of the
Blue Ridge where the pressure gradient between the entering surface
high and the developing low off the coast will be strongest.
Then of course we have to deal with the possibility of frost mentioned above. I do think the better chances are just to our west and northwest, but I wouldn’t leave any tender plants out tonight if you can bring them in. If you can’t, then cover them if possible. This should really only affect the most tender plants and established ones shoudn’t have a big problem. Just don’t leave the new tomato plants to go in the garden sitting out on the picnic table tonght!
So today look for sunny skies to work their way into the entire area. We’ll see clouds early but clearing is on the way. Highs in the valley will be around 63 to 64 this afternoon with those breezy NNE winds around 10-20 with gusts as high as 30 MPH. On the mountains at Wintergreen, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Montebello, Afton Mountain and other areas above 2000 feet look for sunny skies later today and highs topping into the low and mid 50’s. You will see even higher wind gusts at places like Devil’s Knob from time to time.
Tonight look for clear skies and temps in the mid and upper 30’s valley – low to mid 30’s mountains. The winds will stay up early but begin diminishing after 9 PM towards midnight. That’s when we’ll have the best chance to see any frost if the winds completely go light. Remember at Wintergreen and other mountain locations you could see better chances for frost.
Monday and beyond things improve dramatically. Monday highs will be in the upper 60’s to right around 70 degrees with NE winds around 12-14 MPH valley – around 60 degrees mountains. Monday night lows around 43 valley and 38 or so mountains.
The rest of the week looks mostly sunny to partly cloudy with highs topping out in the 80’s by Thursday. Chances for rain move back in by Saturday.
Get the sunglasses out today and enjoy that bizzare yellow circle in the sky.
Have a good one,
-T-
