2009.07.03
Some nighttime weather fireworks on Independence Day?
A low pressure system to our northwest may pull a warm front northward on the Fourth of July. This front may serve to trigger some showers and thunderstorms, and could act as a guide-wire of sorts for any thunderstorm clusters that form in the Ohio Valley. Something Fourth of July festivity planners will want to keep an eye on is whether any of this storminess will arrive in our region by Saturday night about fireworks time. It's a coin flip or lesser chance now ... just keep an eye on things, especially national and regional radar, Saturday.
Sunday looks to be a much better chance of showers and storms (slight risk of severe weather) as a cold front moves into the region and winds, at least temporarily, turn to the southeast to build moisture. But this front will have the net effect of reinforcing the recent mild, dry weather next week, and the familiar recent pattern of high pressure in the south-central U.S. and our region in a northwest flow looks to return.
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There seems to be a good chance that Saturday night's storms will primarily be to the west of us in Kentucky and Tennessee, and whatever occurs here might be very late AFTER the Fourth of July fireworks. Still bears watching on Saturday, but overall it looks pretty good with highs in the low to mid 80s and generally dry.
Do folks like the not-so-hot Fourth or does it seem more fitting to have a hot-as-a-firecracker Fourth?
Comment by Kevin Myatt — July 3, 2009 @ 9:18 pm
The National Weather Service in Blacksburg seems pretty confident that tonight's local fireworks displays will get in before the rain, which is moving eastward through the Ohio Valley this afternoon. In its 10 a.m. forecast discussion, the NWS notes that showers and thunderstorms may reach the western edges of its forecast area (primarily West Virginia) by early evening, but "the bulk of precip a few hours later which should allow fireworks displays to proceed as scheduled and certainly over the eastern 2/3 [of its forecast area] this will be the case."
Comment by Kevin Myatt — July 4, 2009 @ 12:47 pm
I'm enjoying the pleasant weather. We're airing the house out using window fans, and it's nice and pleasant inside. Been able to do a lot of work outside too since it's not blazingly hot. Ought to shape up nicely for this evening, we can watch the fireworks from Radford from our front porch!
Comment by Other John — July 4, 2009 @ 2:35 pm
Rain has reached the Va.-WVa. border ... it may struggle getting over the mountains at first til things moisten up more, but still could be a close call in the Roanoke and New River valleys for evening fireworks shows. NWS forecasts still favor more of an 11 p.m. time for rain to begin.
Comment by Kevin Myatt — July 4, 2009 @ 7:11 pm