2009.04.28
Switch from summery to showery by Wednesday
We've been losing a couple of degrees on our April heat wave each day ... Roanoke's high was 91 on Saturday, 89 on Sunday, 87 on Monday. We could easily lose two more degrees today, with highs in the mid 80s. But whatever today's high, it will likely be the last extreme high, relative to normal, for many days at least. An approaching cold front will bring a chance of showers and thunderstorms on Wednesday, and because the front will have a hard time pushing east against the high pressure system that has brought us the hot weather, it is expected to stall near our region, leading to several days of shower and thunderstorm chances. This morning's 5-day rainfall potential map from the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center suggests the heaviest rain will be west of our region, but Western Virginia is on the eastern edge of significant rainfall.
As a side note about rainfall ... both Carvins Cove and Spring Hollow Reservoir are now at full pond, according to the Western Virginia Water Authority. (Thanks to reader Wayles Dandridge for pointing this out.)
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I wouldn't mind seeing that core of heavier rain fall more to the east for us. We've migrated back to slightly below normal on rainfall here, while some places haven't caught up yet to begin with. We could use another good round of multi-day, multi-inch precipitation.
Comment by Other John — April 28, 2009 @ 10:10 am
Does Roanoke have a severe weather and tornado alarm like some cities have,Mr.Myatt?
Comment by Epotter Watchdog — April 28, 2009 @ 4:12 pm
Kevin, any chance of that SW to NE upslope stuff dousing Long Ridge section of SW Roanoke County again?? Just curious. Everything looks great around our neighborhood, but we have been dry for so very long that it would be OK to get still more multi-inch rains. Nancy and I travelled to the Winchester - Stephens City - Berryville area of the northern Shenandoah Valley on Sunday and Monday (boy, did Winchester ever feel hot late Sunday afternoon), and it was not quite as lush up there as here. And no azaleas out, either. Dogwoods were just starting to come out.
Comment by Doug Griggs — April 28, 2009 @ 11:07 pm
Doug, that was actually SE to NW upslope stuff, but I don't see a lot of upslope in what's coming, mostly just frontal stuff.
Epotter, Roanoke does not have any tornado sirens, if that's what you're talking about. They have occurred so infrequently here, I'm not sure it would be worth the investment.
Comment by Kevin Myatt — April 28, 2009 @ 11:41 pm
Roanoke used to have a tornado/air raid siren downtown until the early to mid 1990s.
Comment by KevinL — April 29, 2009 @ 8:12 am