UPDATE 5:20 PM: Just isolated showers/storms this evening; recapping some recent windy storms in Roanoke
UPDATE 5:20 PM: Drier air moving in and at the surface has limited storm development today in Southwest Virginia. A few isolated showers and storms have occurred, mainly south and west of Wytheville, but it does appear activity will remain “isolated” rather than “scattered to numerous” for our region today. END UPDATE
Roanoke Regional Airport clocked a 54 mph wind gust Friday when what was at least briefly a “bow echo” storm line barreled through, knocking power out to more than 1,500 in and near the Roanoke Valley, and spreading some ominous clouds while spraying some (not all) with some locally heavy downpours. That 54 mph gust — 4 mph below the thresshold for “severe” winds in a storm– is the third 50-plus thunderstorm gust of this summer — there was a 52 mph gust on July 16 and, of course, the 81 mph derecho peak gust on June 29. Interestingly, the airport clocked three separate severe storm gusts in a 2-week period last summer — 62 mph on June 20, 64 mph on June 28 and 75 mph on July 4. There was also a 52 mph gust in a March 2011 thunderstorm that damaged an apartment complex nearby, and gusts of 53 and 58 mph in storms in August/September of 2010. That’s 9 50-plus storm gusts at Roanoke Regional in 3 years, with 5 qualifying as severe. And that’s not counting gusts of 59 and 62 mph gusts behind cold fronts in February 2010.
We’ll be continuing Saturday with the recent theme of very warm to hot temperatures (80s to low 90s high) and sticky with afternoon thunderstorms, as the cold front that has been moving our way for the last 2 days finally arrives and pushes through. The lift with the front will assist daytime heating, terrain effects and any leftover outflow boundaries from Friday storms in firing another round of scattered to numerous thunderstorms. Winds aloft are not expected to be terribly strong, but the lift, instability and moisture may again be sufficient to trigger some severe storms with damaging winds. Large hail will be a somewhat bigger threat in the strongest storms than it has been the last two days, and a pool of cold air aloft with the front and an upper-level low-pressure trough may be sufficient to allow ice growth low enough in the atmosphere to survive the fall through hot layers underneath. We may dry out and cool down just a bit (80s highs, 60s lows) for Sunday, but the overall pattern this week will feature additional disturbances/fronts moving southeastward into humid air. It does appear the heat dome will be kept at bay over the central/southwest U.S. this week, so anything approaching triple-digit heat is not expected. August looks to start next week with fairly normal temperatures and daily rounds of hit-and-miss showers and storms, the hitting and missing percentages varying a little from day to day.
July 28, 2012 - 12:28 AM
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Ain’t to be believed.
What ain’t to be believed?
So far, storm coverage has been pretty isolated, mostly southwest of Wytheville. A little more development northeastward now toward the edge of Floyd and Montgomery counties.
Another sub 90 degree day here in the NRV (only 6 days all summer at 90 or above). With the stiff NW breeze all day and temps in the low 80′s it was yet another pleasant summer day in the Blue Ridge micro climate!
Heck, this was a nice day in Roanoke area. Dew point dropped off with the down slope winds. 90 didn’t feel that hot.
It may be nice compared to other locations, Mike — but it’s still on track to be Blacksburg’s 3rd to 5th hottest July on record, based on average temperature. (Almost certainly will end up as Roanoke’s hottest, with a much longer period of record).
The fact that your post was up before daylight and no posts were entered as of 3:15 PM.
More typical dull summer weather than the derecho/heat wave stuff of the last month. Folks probably got outside and enjoyed it/did needed work outside.
Gotta do some rocking in the ole water garden tomorrow, will the humidity be lower with the passage of this front? Work is much more pleasant when my eyes aren’t stinging from sweat and having to wipe my face every 30 seconds.
Perfect day for it. I hauled in wood and it won’t bad at all til around 11.
Humidity should be a little lower Sunday, Jared. But you’re still talking about a 90-degree day.
Big storm near Martinsville has triggered severe thunderstorm warning. That’s it for strong-severe storms in our area this afternoon/evening.
Beautiful day today at the Glade Springs resort near Beckley, WV. Partly cloudy, high in the 70′s, nice breeze, low humidity. Totally awesome after the heat and humidity we have been experiencing.
Had only about 15 rain drops here this afternoon. I think the rain is more down towards Floyd Fest and that end of the county.
Nice breeze today so it hasn’t felt too bad outside. A little early for hauling wood here, wdbrand.
One of the driest states with the worst drought conditions is Arkansas.
Here’s what the Old Farmers Almanac had to predict for spring and summer.
April and May will be slightly warmer and wetter than normal.
Summer will be cooler and rainier than normal, with the hottest periods in early and mid-June and mid-July.
Just remember, the OFA is for entertainment purposes only.
We got 0.41″ of rain at the house yesterday, which pushed us over 3″ for the month. Still short of normal, but not too far short. The winds did take down some small limbs here and there though.
Word on Twitter tonight — backed up by 2 photos from separate photographers — is that a tornado has been observed at 13,500 feet in elevation on Mount Evans in Colorado. If that report holds up to scrutiny, it will be the highest elevation tornado ever observed, topping the 12,000 foot high tornado photographed by a hiker at Rockwell Pass in Sequoia National Park, Calif., in 2004.
Pics via Facebook/Twitter linked below.
pic.twitter.com/4Ik7q6gg
fb.me/1dTam7UUX