Today’s forecast is brought to you by Garden Trade Nursery & Garden Shop We told you about the snafu yesterday on their ad in the June issue of NCL – saying they were closed when in fact they are very much open. So, to make it up to them, they get to be our first weather sponsor over the next month. We hadn’t planned on opening that up to advertisers for a bit longer, but this seemed like the perfect occasion to debut and let them have it!

We’re glad to have Garden Trade as our first weather sponsor over the next month! Welcome!

Good Memorial Day to everyone!

Photography by Paul Purpura
Nelson County Life Magazine
Canoe at Lake Monacan

Let’s remember first and foremost the only reason that most of us can have this holiday off to relax and play is because of the folks in the armed forces that have given their lives for our own country. Lot’s of people think it’s corny, or even roll their eyes when you start talking about this. Not us. We know how much the men and women in the in the military have done in the past, and continue to do today so the rest of us can enjoy our life here in the United States. At some point today while we’re raising a glass, cooking out on the grill, riding the ski boat at the lake, or taking a swim, remember why we really celebrate this day.

And speaking of the weekend, what a great holiday weekend it has been so far. If you haven’t looked around on our website under the recent posts, check them out to see the events that have taken place. It’s on your left under recent posts. Or just click the highlighted link in this paragraph.

Generally speaking this Memorial Day weekend has been near perfect. We have seen some isolated thunderstorms pop up here and there from time to time. But most people never saw any rain for the entire weekend. Today we’ll begin to see more scattered thunderstorms across the area, especially this afternoon as we get the peak daytime heating. Almost everyone made it into upper 80’s or near 90 Sunday as ample sunshine warmed things quickly. Here at NCL-Nelson County Life Magazine we reached a high of 89 degrees around 12:30 in the afternoon. Would have easily made it to 90 but those isolated thunderstorms kept the temps just under 90.

Upon the mountain NCL-Wintergreen Nature Foundation at Devil’s Knob, we showed a high temp of 87 degrees briefly on Sunday around noon. I do think that sounds a bit high for them, but even higher elevations got very warm yesterday, so it’s not out of the question.

On the current surface map below, high pressure off of the eastern coast still controls our weather, but it is finally losing it’s grip and beginning to drift away over the next 36-48 hours. A cold front to our north will be our next weather maker.
Current-Sat Surface Map

Below, the cold front mentioned above gets closer to us, it will stall somewhere in our neighborhood for the next couple of days. With it close by our chances for afternoon thunderstorms increases to about 50% for the area today.
Today’s Forecast Map

We are in the slight risk area for severe thunderstorm development later today.

Today look for mostly sunny skies in the morning with scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Some of these storms could become severe later in the day. High temps in Nellysford, Beech Grove, and Lovingston will be around 88-89 degrees. On the mountains above 2000 feet along the BRP, Wintergreen, and Montebello, look for sunny skies early with thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs top out around 80 degrees. Winds will be west around 5-10 MPH, except gusty near thunderstorms that do develop. Tonight look for thunderstorms scattered around the area and mountains, with most of them dying out by midnight and skies becoming partly cloudy. Lows valley around 65 degrees except where rain hits, a tad cooler there and look for patchy fog in any areas where rain has fallen. – On the mountains mild overnight lows of about 65-66 as well. . Winds will be NE 5-10 becoming NW after midnight.

Tuesday looks much like Monday except we may see slightly less thunderstorms and a highs again flirting with 90 degrees. On the mountains look for mid 70’s for afternoon highs. In the extended forecast we have chances for scattered thunderstorms each afternoon with daytime highs in the mid and upper 80’s and overnight lows generally in the 60’s. We’ll have plenty of sunshine during the extended period, but our chances for afternoon thunderstorms are much better than we have seen in the previous week.

If severe weather does break out, remember to come back here, we’ll have all of the latest watches, warnings and coverage of anything affecting Nelson.

Remember Know your Nelson

Have a great Memorial Day!

-T-

TGIF!

The long awaited unofficial start to summer is finally here! Memorial Day is generally thought of as the time when folks get out and begin enjoying the warm carefree days of summer. This weekend is near perfect weather wise.

Photography by Paul Purpura
Nelson County LIfe Magazine
Lake Monacan in Stoney Creek – Nellysford

Skies have cleared out over the past day or so and we’re left with mostly clear skies. Only occasional clouds have been moving through lately due to increased high pressure parked off the NC coast.

Lot’s happening this weekend. Above at Lake Monacan they will be trying to break a world record on Saturday with The Totally Tubular World Record Challenge. They’ll be trying to form the longest line of inner tubes. You can read more by clicking here. There are lots of event happening at Wintergreen this weekend you can see them all by clicking here. There is also a tennis tourney to at the Devil’s Knob tennis courts starting this weekend. It’s to raise money for The Wintergreen Nature Foundation and the rescue squad. Yep, Yvette is playing again this year. Her doubles partner is Debbie Flight from Richmond. Yvette did pretty good last year winning her bracket, we’ll see what happens this year! We’ll have pics from there over the weekend.

There are lots more events around. You can see more of them by scrolling through our datebook.

Thursday was a warm day with temps generally in the low 80’s for everyone in the valley . Few clouds were in the area due to the high pressure. That allowed for temps to cool nicely last night. Here at NCL-Nelson County Life Magazine here in Greenfield, reached a low of 51 degrees this morning. Upon the mountain NCL-Wintergreen Nature Foundation upon Devil’s Knob, we had a temperature inversion set up and they were actually warmer with a morning low of 57 degrees. That does happen from time to time.

The current map below will look pretty much the same all weekend long due to the high pressure we have been talking about off of the NC coast. With that high firmly seated there for the next few days, we will warm up and any fronts that try to make it through here will have a tough time.
Current-Sat Surface Map

Today’s forecast map, shows the high keeping chances for any organized afternoon thunderstorms at a minimum. We will see a storm here and there, but very few. A couple of cold fronts will make a run at us but they will get stalled just to the north and west.
Today’s Forecast Map

Today look for mostly sunny skies. I can’t totally rule out that lone renegade thunderstorm late in the day somewhere, but most folks will stay dry. High temps in Greenfield, Beech Grove, and Shipman will be around 85-86 degrees. On the mountains above 2000 feet along the BRP & Wintergreen, look for sunny skies and afternoon highs to top out around 77 degrees. Winds will be south around 5 MPH. Tonight clear skies lows valley 57-58 degrees – mountains about 55, provided we don’t have another inversion. Winds will be light after dark.

This weekend looks mostly sunny skies as we begin each day, but clouds will work in during the afternoon as scattered thunderstorms pop up from time to time. Temps generally in the mid to upper 80’s valley and mid 70’s mountains. There is a chance for scattered thunderstorms building with the daytime heating just about anywhere, but again most folks will remain dry. Monday is the best shot for thunderstorms, but again only about 40% of the area will see one.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend and bee looking for updates here over the entire weekend.

Remember to always come here for breaking updates throughout the county.

Tommy

Good Thursday to all,

Photo: Tommy Stafford
Nelson County Life Magazine

You’ve gotta love living here. Simply taking the trash off gives you views like these looking toward the mountains from the Rockfish Valley!

Yesterday topped out in the upper 70’s and around 80 once again. Clouds hung in there for much of the day due to a weak trough over the area. NCL-Nelson County Life Magazine here in Greenfield, reached a high of 80 degrees yesterday for the second day in a row. NCL-Wintergreen Nature Foundation upon Devil’s Knob, only reached an afternoon high of a cooler 65 degrees. In Lovingston at NCL-Tiger Fuel they reached a high of 76 degrees. To the SE at NCL-Mini Tara Vineyards in Arrington, Mike Patterson’s station there showed a high of 75. Back at the foot of Black Rock Mountain at Jeff Stone’s station in Beech Grove, NCL-Wintergreen Winery recorded an afternoon high of 77 degrees. I think those guys finished up bottling wines there, hopefully. Know they’ve had a busy couple of days!

Today’s current map below doesn’t show much of anything in our immediate area. There are no real features near Virginia. But high pressure continues to gain control over our weather. We will see fewer clouds today as that high takes grip.
Current-Sat Surface Map

On today’s forecast map, the high pressure area sets up just to the NE of Virginia. As the high gets in place, chances for thunderstorms diminish and sunny skies will prevail. It will be a tad warmer today and a continued warm up is still coming our way for the weekend, with someplaces nearing 90 degrees by Sunday.
Today’s Forecast Map

Thursday look for mostly sunny skies. I can’t totally rule out a renegade garden variety thunderstorm late in the day somewhere, but the odds are against it with the dome of high pressure setting up near us. High temps in Gladstone, Avon, and Lovingston will be around 82-83 degrees. On the mountains above 2000 feet along the BRP & Wintergreen, look for sunny skies and afternoon highs to top out around 73 degrees. Winds will be S @ 5-10 MPH Tonight clear lows valley 52-55 degrees – mountains about 48 degrees. Winds south and light around 5 MPH.

Tomorrow look for mostly sunny skies again and temps warming to 86 valley and around 76 mountains.

The upcoming Memorial Day weekend looks nearly perfect, with daytime highs in the mid and upper 80’s – lows around 60. Chances for any orgainzed thunderstorm activity remains low over the weekend. I do see a shot maybe for an isolated thunderstorm on Saturday afternoon as a cold front nears the VA-PA border, but with the high anchored firmly just to the east of Virginia, it will be tough for any kind of real storms to get going.

Have a great Thursday and be looking for a complete Memorial Day weather outlook Friday morning. We’ll also be adding lots of new pics over the weekend from the many events taking place. So be sure to glance from time to time over the weekend!

Tommy