UPDATE 8:50 PM, 9/3: Multiple days of occasional showers and squalls spinning around what used to be Isaac
Latest Radar / Future Cast linked here
UPDATE 8:50 PM: The flash flood watch has been lifted for Southwest Virginia. While some scattered showers and storms will continue, the threat of locally torrential rain is dwindling. So far, Lane Stadium has stayed almost totally dry as showers have diminished approaching from south. END UPDATE
UPDATE 4:45 PM, 9/3: During the last hour or so, showers and thunderstorms have started banding together more in western North Carolina, as seen on the radar grab at left, with a north-northeasterly movement as they are swirled around the remnant low that was once Hurricane Isaac, now centered near the Indiana-Kentucky border. It is these showers and storms that are expected to move over Southwest Virginia over the next 6 hours or so, getting most if not all locations wet while dumping some locally heavy rains of 2 inches or more — especially in spots where storms or a heavy rain band keeps moving over the same location repeatedly, a process called “training.” It appears likely at this point that rain will begin to move into the Blacksburg area near or shortly before the scheduled 8 p.m. kickoff of tonight’s football game between Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech. A flash flood watch continues for several counties, mostly along the New River Valley and the Blue Ridge (including Roanoke/Salem/Roanoke County) and then eastward along U.S. 460 toward Bedford County and Lynchburg. Rainfall from tropical systems that move inland often peaks in the early evening and overnight hours, rather than daytime, so it is not out of character at all to be getting a “late start” on this possible heavy rain situation. END UPDATE
UPDATE 1:45 PM, 9/3: A flash flood watch has been issued through evening for Roanoke, the New River Valley, counties south along the Blue Ridge and east along the U.S. 460 corridor. This is in anticipation of heavy showers developing later this afternoon and evening. The watch does not mean flooding rain will be widespread, but that heavier showers storms may produce 2 or more inches of rain quickly in local areas. More from NWS-Blacksburg at www.erh.noaa.gov/rnk/. END UPDATE
UPDATE 8:30 AM, 9/3: Keep an eye on the bands of showers moving out of Kentucky and Tennessee today (radar linked here). Over the past 3 days, these bands have weakened in the morning, recharged through the afternoon as temperatures warm, then peaked in intensity and areal coverage during the evening. Additional showers and storms may also develop ahead of the bands as moisture banks against the mountains through the day. END UPDATE
UPDATE 10:30 PM, 9/2: As expected, some folks got heavy rain and gusty winds today (Sunday) in storms — particularly parts of Franklin County and most of Henry County — while others got very little rain at all today. On Labor Day, the coverage of rain is likely to be greater than Sunday, as we start to deal with the bands circulating on the eastern side of what was once Hurricane Isaac (shown on the inset radar grab from Sunday evening on left). Also, there will be some southeasterly surface winds that will bank moisture against the ridges a little more. Just about every location will get wet on Monday, but some will get copious downpours of 2 or more inches, while others get light amounts between the heavier bands. If a band of storms moves over the same area repeatedly for a while, flash flooding could result, and there is some threat of damaging downburst winds in the stronger storms. As for the Virginia Tech game Monday night — take rain gear. It’s possible it won’t pour start to finish (unless one of those training bands of rain sets up right smack over Lane Stadium), but the chances of getting through pre-game festivities and the game itself without any rain is very low. Keep an eye on the radar whatever outdoor plans you have on Labor Day. END UPDATE
Saturday was the first of what could be 4 or even 5 days of dealing with what was once Hurricane Isaac in Southwest Virginia. The satellite photo at left reveals that Isaac still has a very discernible, broad swirl, centered on about St. Louis. It’s spin has swept a lot of tropical moisture northeastward out of the Gulf, helping to trigger Saturday’s round of showers and storms that got heavy in spots in Southwest Virginia. Much heavier rain continued to swirl in narrowing but intense bands through Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas, with some localized flooding, and a spree of tornadoes that caused some damage. Isaac’s old center is slowly unraveling, bumping slowly eastward along a stalling frontal boundary, but spokes of energy and enhanced moisture will rotate through our region each of the next 3 days, possibly even into Wednesday, too. Each new wave will have the potential to trigger showers and thunderstorms that could produce torrential downpours and possibly some localized strong wind gusts, especially when daytime heating energizes the atmosphere a little more. This is unlikely to be a situation where a large area of rain settles in for hours on end, but the frequency and intensity of showers and storms is likely to increase Sunday into Monday, such that just about every location gets some downpours before it passes at midweek. The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center is projecting 5-day totals of 2-3 inches, even more, in most of Virginia as the former Isaac meanders eastward. It’s possible none of the next 4 or 5 days will be a total washout start to finish, but any or all of those days could have periods of time that are a total drenching for an hour or two, maybe longer if a line of storms continues moving over the same location repeatedly. Take your poncho or umbrella anywhere you go.
September 2, 2012 - 12:15 AM
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Tonight a storm moved of out western Washington Co toward the Chapel but basically died out by the time it go here. WE had some rain but the lightening and thunder settled down pretty quickly. Did not check the gauge but it will be added to the .85 from earlier today. Surprisingly though, that .85 was absorbed very quickly by the ground and we need quite a bit more to get the ground truly wet. Hopefully by the time the reunion is over the rain will have blessed us thoroughly.
I was just reading over the comments from yesterday’s thread. Can you send the rain my way. I live only a couple of miles from Doug and we barely got a sprinkle last night. The ground under the trees never got wet at all. We could see the storms and hear the thunder. Our power flickered quite a bit at 7:30 PM. Yet we got virtually no rain! We are still waiting for our turn.
Nary a drop at my place yesterday……..and just sprinkles this morning. The sunny half the yard is turning dormant.
Sorry, Hokie Trax, in reply to your 11:39 PM comment about getting merely lonely raindrops. Been there, done that. WAY too many times both last summer and this.
What does this mean for tomorrow night game, Kevin? The family is going to Lane Stadium, a magnet for storms as you noted once before, and we are already preparing to get ponchos to stay dry.
Last sentence pretty much tells what it means — take a poncho or umbrella. We won’t know till just before whether the game will happen during a squall or in a gap between them. Hopefully, you’ll wedge between the rain bands — and hopefully there won’t be lightning during that time. For the latter problem, it would be preferable if there were rain in the afternoon that let up before gametime, rather than sunny tailgating weather that cooked up storms right in time for kickoff.
And don’t stand near any ESPN employees’ rental cars!
I completely missed that last sentence!
Rick and especially you, Leo Lady (“LL,” are you the new mayor of Brownsville? Definitely sounds like Rick is a reluctant nominee), please see my 8:45 AM comment. Here’s again hoping that ALL of you who want rain get quite a bit over the next 2-3 days. Of course, Murphy’s Law of rainstorms is that you may get the decent or even heavy rains at the least opportune time.
My back yard is the greenest it has been since June, even with relatively short grass.
If that HPC map that Kevin mentioned in the new thread comes even close to verifying, then I and especially Jim of the NWS will have predicted correctly.
We were driving through Pilot last night around 7 or so and saw one of most vivid rainbows that we’ve ever seen. Looks like a lot of folks between C’burg and Check got a lot of heavy rain.
I really, really hope the weather cooperates tomorrow night……
That would be Lee Corsos car!
Nice little boundry trying to develop btwn NW South Carolina
and far SWVA…movg NE.
Looks like some good development for u guys
from this area..
Its a quick builder.
We got 0.55″ of rain yesterday in a quick-hitting storm. We had picked up less than an inch over the previous 26 days, including a puny 0.11″ in the past 12. Our yard had gone crunchy and brown, and the ground was chalk dry. Despite how heavy the rain was yesterday, the ground was so dry there was very little runoff or ponding, it soaked up quickly here.
A few hours break..then more coming out of the Crossville/ Knoxville
area.
I have just gone through looking at most of the blog comments from June 2012. Found one of my best comments ever on June 1st at 12:07 PM (about wishing that June had started off with an NAO that was at least neutral, and then having it decline during the rest of summer), but before anyone jumps on me for tooting my own horn, I also found two that were pretty bad.
June 9th, 9:44 PM. Predicted that this summer would be no worse than “normal” overall for temps. Although there was the big help from August, this summer was still another hot one overall. I can file my June 9th comment under “Wishful Thinking.”
On Sunday, June 24th, I mocked the TWC’s outlook forecast for the following Friday, June 29th, Derecho Day. TWC forecasted a Roanoke high of 100. It actually skyrocketed all the way to 104. My sarcastic comment? “Yeah, right.”
Also found lots of interesting stuff. Trevar reporting winds “kicking up” so quickly and strong that they were “like an angry mule.” Superb comment, and that was from early June, not the night of Derecho. Hundreds if not thousands of locations in OH, WV, MD and of course Virginia had Irate Mules on Steroids that night.
Anybody know of anyone who either (A) lives in Bath County; or (B) spent hundreds if not $1000+ to spend this weekend at the Homestead?? Bath County has been getting drenched for at least the past hour. Perfect example of what both Jay Webb of “7″ and Kevin have advised earlier. With little steering winds aloft, if one of these cells of heavy rain parks itself over your neighborhood, the chance exists that you could see moderate/heavy rains for at least an hour, if not two.
That’s the major area of activity right now, but some small cells along the I-81 (and I-77) corridor west of Wytheville are showing signs of becoming bigger and moving slowly ENE or so. Our Man at Blackwell Chapel (Michael Hoback) in eastern Washington County is getting wet now, it appears. Keep your fingers crossed, Rick!!
Senior moment Number 361. It is Augusta County that is getting hit now, not Bath. Wouldn’t want to be on I-64 at Afton Mountain east of Waynesboro and west of Crozet and Charlottesville right now. Looks like that entire area of the northern edge of the Blue Ridge Parkway from Wintergreen resort NE to Afton Mountain is getting “bombed.”
I hope that Nelson County doesn’t get hit too bad …..
Currently it is bright and sunny in Hokieburg which is good for the First and Main Tailgate event that just started and goes until 7. Looks like Southside is getting some storm activity.
NOTE: umbrellas not allowed in Lane Stadium…so ponchos will be in order.
Several of my VT students were running the Rocknroll half marathon at Virginia Beach this morning. One said it was like running through pudding, so thick was the humidity. People passing out, etc. but they all completed. Ah youth!
Yep Doug, looks like all that rain is going south of me! Here is to hoping for rain on the next batch, however I don’t see any new lines forming anywhere near us.
Hokieburg got a downpour around 3:45 – I was at the First and Mail Tailgate in the south part of town. Now back home, dumped half an inch out of the gauge so it rained hard here too. Gloomy, overcast, and rumble-y now but rain has turned off for the time being.
Trevor, and any one else who does not live in the area or is new. The comments about ESPN employee’s cars at VA Tech is a reference to a Monday night opening game at Lane Stadium a few years ago. There were horrible thunderstorms shortly after kick-off and the game had to be cancelled. Sometime during the storm ESPN analyst, Lee Corso’s rental car was struck by lightning. He had to get a ride to Roanoke to catch his flight out. There are a few pictures of the lightning that night that are great; maybe Keven has access to a few.
Doug: At the moment, I am the new Mayor of Brownsville; not happy about it though. We still haven’t seen more than a drop. I keep hoping, as we have a project that includes digging a hole in the back yard and until we get some significant moisture we can’t dig. The ground is way too hard. Maybe we will get some rain tonight or tomorrow.
I can hear thunder rumbling. Big deal. If I can believe radar, it shows some to my west and north, but alas, moving ENE or NE. If I get anything, it looks like LR ….. Lonely Raindrops.
Zach, are you in the Fancy Gap area this weekend? Looks like a very menacing batch coming (or has already arrived) your way out of NC. Other impressive radar return west of the Blue Ridge is in SE Craig County, either at or just north of Carvin’s Cove Reservoir, probably heading for central Botetourt County.
Rain yesterday, last night and today around 12-2 pm totaled 1.25″. Today’s shower dropped .30″ in a quick downpour. More coming up toward TN. We continue to have our reunion and are playing dodge ball with the showers. Still glad to have a bed in the house. Afraid if I was camping, the lightening may hit my tent pole. I am at the age where my wife and I will only camp in motel rooms. Hoping and praying before this is all over, we all get a good shower.
If you are like me and have not received any rain yet today, don’t give up hope yet. There is a big swath of rain, some including reds and oranges, stretching north all the way from extreme NE Tenn. all the way through eastern KY to the Ohio River. The stuff in KY looks to be “pinwheeling” up into WV and SE Ohio, but many areas in SW Virginia will probably get the stuff now in NE Tenn. And areas mostly east of the Blue Ridge may get hit by the stuff now in southern Carroll, SW Floyd, and Patrick Counties.
That low is still impressive, to me anyways. Still spinning and flingin out bands.
Nate – yes, it was an awesome rainbow – I even saw a double one for a while.
Joe- yep, watching radar and seeing the storms heading this way. Should start raining soon up here on the ridge. Thundering down the road towards town.
I’ve been asleep for 3 hours, what did I miss?
Looks like spokes of the wheel mostly missing Roanoke/New River valleys so far today. I have 2/10 in the gauge (southern Roanoke County) from yesterday’s storm and a brief shower sometime today when I was out.
HPC generally projecting 1.5-2 inches of rain next 3 days.
http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/qpf/day1-3.shtml
HokieTrax, congrats on your decent rainfall total today. Weren’t you one of the folks that got missed yesterday? Now as many of us as possible have to wish for rains for the female Mayor of Brownsville, Leo Lady.
Michael Hoback, you sent a prayer my way and mentioned it here just before I got plastered with 1.3 inches on August 12th, as I remember it. Can you come through now for LL?
The batch of rain that was in NE Tenn. has made it up to Tazewell and Smyth Counties, with Bland and Wythe next in line. The batch that was down in southern Carroll and Patrick and the SW corner of Floyd has come into Franklin County, and a little piece of it looks like it hit either Vinton or NE Roanoke city. Eastern half of Franklin appears to be quite wet.
Crazy weather! Saw some incredibly vivid lightning south and east of us tonight. Our total for the day was around .50″ but my in laws just a hop, skip and a jump up the road logged an easy 1″.
Hoping it quietens down for the evening/overnight. I need a break!
Doug, was down there earlier, rained a bit this afternoon but when I left back for Hokieburg it was sunny.
Unrelated note – I saw the movie Lawless this evening. I recommend it to anyone whose from this area. It is graphic and somewhat brutal, but tells a sad truth of this history of Franklin County Moonshine. If you’re from SWVA this movie is a must see.
The SW Virginia version of the Fenway Park left field wall made a re-appearance this evening. That rain in Tazewell and Smyth counties seems to have fizzled out, just west of that spot on I-81 near Mountain Empire airport that someone here (Rick? Michael H.?) informed us was the highest elevation in Virginia for I-81. Rains never made it to Bland or Wythe. Boo!
I think you’ll get yours Monday, Doug.
Let it fizzle Doug, we’ve got plenty more chances for rainfall on the horizon.
Storms and a decent rain came through earlier this evening so the reunion crowd is in my house playing bingo. The rain has stopped but radar shows a large band in KY and TN coming for later tonight. I did not check gauge tonight but will empty it in the am.
Doug, my prayers will go up for you tonight and tomorrow. I believe we will all get a good one before the week is out. This humid tropical air is good for the rain but feels pretty oppressive. I am so ready for fall.
First off, I second Zach’s recommendation of Lawless. I’m originally from the mountains of northeast Georgia, and have called the NRV my home since 2000…there are a lot of great Virginia references and anyone from Appalachia will probably enjoy it.
In terms of weather, we got another nice storm today that dumped 0.68″ of rain in an hour, pushing to 1.23″ since yesterday. But even with that, the ground was so dry that now it simply resembles normal. But I have a feeling that by midweek, it will be plenty moist.
Not a lot of rain so far from this current system at my location in Blue Ridge. On Saturday recorded only 0.07″ and Sunday had a couple showers with a total of 0.21″. Due to some dry days in the latter part of August, I’m now 0.58″ below normal for yearly rainfall.
But Michael, it IS autumn! According to meteorologists. To this man born and raised in Boston area, SW Virginia has four summer months (June – Sept.). At least here in Roanoke. Many of you folks in the NRV and Alleghany, Craig, and Bath Counties can make a valid argument that agrees wirh the weather folks, that Sept. is autumn.
Well, Amanda, you got your wish, big time. Not only did the rainfall fizzle out toward Wytheville, but I just looked at what is happening in Kentucky and Tenn. Not much at all. But everyone is still calling for heavy rain today (after 2 PM in Wytheville, for example) and tonight, with chances of lighter amounts right through Thursday. We shall see.
It’s a good thing I don’t put much stock in the OFA, since their outlook for the next 12 months just came out and they have us drier than normal in every season of the year.
http://www.almanac.com/weather/longrange/region/us/3
Good Morning Hokies!
As the welcome signs say as you drive into Florida… Arrived Alive!
After a 6 day tour of Great Britain, Europe & Scandanavia, it’s good to be home.
Had great weather all week except for coming home last night as there was a ton of
Flying around the storms in eastern VA & the Atlantic Coast from NJ south.
Well, time to pack up the Hokie Wagon & head west to HOKIEBURG, rain gear included.
Will update weather on Tuesday or Wednesday and give my preliminary fall and winter weather prognostications. Right now…It’s game day!
Let’s Go Hokies!
The pattern the last 3 days with the bands on the eastern side of the circulation has been to fizzle out in the morning, rebuild in the afternoon with daytime heating, the peak in size and intensity about 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. That’s what we’ll be watching today. It’s not what is on the radar now that counts, but what will develop — not easy to pinpoint precisely.
I am apprehensive for you fans who will be attending the Tech-Tech game tonight in Blacksburg. I am afraid that it will be Aug. 27th, 2000 all over again, minus the thunder and lightning. And probably the rain won’t be nearly as torrential. According to my NOAA Daily Climate Data website, Blacksburg got a whopping 1.92 inches on that memorable date. Hope that my prediction is typical …… way off.
Gotcha, KM. Already the rainfall cells to our SW in KY and TN are looking a bit more impressive. Michael Hoback is about to get more rain within the next hour or two, it looks like. Do they begin playing bingo in the morning, MH?
Also, and I am teasing about the following, are your relatives beginning to have a “fishy” odor? :>) :>) You know what they say about relatives and fish after 3 days, don’t you?
Link-Man Rick, I agree with your assessment and feelings about the OFA outlook. Drier than normal for us this autumn and winter, with an El Nino now just about in place? Maybe, but I don’t think so; I am expecting the opposite. I will be curious to see what Sandman Quagmire (what on earth does “Sandman” mean, GQ?) has to say about this upcoming winter, even if he is ridiculously early with his outlook.
The more fog and low clouds keep a lid on things today, the less chance there is of stormy stuff at the game. The rain will probably recharge during the day with even minor warming, but without the sun poking through, it may not get unstable enough for a lot of storms.
So root for gloomy tailgating, Hokie fans!
Something that may be of interest to the
tree and nature folks here.
This something i’ve not seen in Texas since
i’ve been here in 87.
A handful of the Bradford Pears are going through
a second bloom..and Im at a loss to figure out why.
I was thinking they may have internally gone dormant,
then reawakened when we finally got some natural moisture.
Would love to hear ideas..I used to see it some back in Va
but that seemed to happen more as a false seasonal thing
..Maybe a few of the trees are just trying to cheer us up?
As Kevin said – the wind is coming out of the southeast and we are sitting in fog and low level clouds up here on the ridge. Visibility might be about a half mile. Very humid out there too.
Capt. “Sandman” I hope you don’t fall asleep during the game – from jet lag. Welcome back home.
Here’s the 48 state map from the OFA. Just click on any section and read the 12 month outlook…………..and remember, the OFA is for entertainment purposes only.
http://www.almanac.com/weather/longrange
Thank God Doug no Bingo this morning. A big country ham, homemade biscuit and gray breakfast has just ended. And yes the fishy odor is definitely getting stronger. By noon or 1 they will be headed home. I love them all but every good things must come to an end.
It is now raining lightly here. Guess I will run the vaccum and spend the afternoon upstairs under the tin roof reading and getting the sleep I missed this weekend.
…Also…
NOAA’s CCFP chart shows some chance
of some heavier rains and some embedded thunderstorms
from south of Birmingham to just west of Blacksburg
early mid afternoon..fairly high tops at 40000 ft..
another pocket with tops much the same in the DELMARVA
and east of a line from Winchester to Norfolk.
…In ’64 I would have been wading through calf high water
from Cleo…listening to Trini Lopez from the open door of a mist green 62 Impala..”If I had a Hammer”
Some things just stick in your head..some that even a hammer can’t
get out.
Almost noon and radar doesn’t look impressive at all! I think we can go ahead and declare Isaac officially dead along with our rain chances. Just don’t see 2-3 inches out of this like the maps keep saying.
Well, officially, “Isaac” has been dead since it the NHC took its name away when it moved well inland Thursday. But the remnant low is very much still there.
The maps only show about 1 inch over 3 days now
http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/qpf/d13_fill.gif
Don’t be so impatient when it comes to weather. Radar not being “impressive” at noon means very little, especially with a tropical-related event — they usually drop their heaviest rains in early to mid evening.
There’s lot of Hokie fans hoping that’s not Blacksburg tonight.
Joe, I’ve swwn that happen with potted apple trees about 6/8 years ago. They were in bloom in Dec. I can’t remember the weather conditions leading up to that time, but had never seen the second bloom in the same year. I’d be concerned if the tree was fruit bearing, but a bradford pear is the biggest waste of planting space I know of. The leaf drop has started here early for the usual types, as the whole season has been 2/3 weeks ahead of normal, I suppose it’s telling the tree to take a nap. That and the fact is got right dry. Trees will shut down leaf production to save the limbs and tree.
Joe in Texas, I have an initial guess as to why you might be getting a 2nd blooming of the pear trees this year. But that is all that it is, a guess. wd, Doppler Carol, and especially Mr. Family Reunion Hoback (because he has fruit trees, although he was battered this spring by a late frost) would have much more knowledge than me.
For what it is worth (2 cents?), I think it might be because of the devastating heat and drought of 2011. Did some or many pear trees not have any fruit in 2011? Or extremely small pears? If so, the trees may have diverted most of their energy into their root system to help them survive in 2011. So that this year with at least some rains and heat that was not nearly as bad, they had a banner year. Anyway, that was my dad’s theory/experience (I have mentioned it before here on a few occasions) when any vegetation had a particularly bad season. And he WAS a gardener for most of his life. ….. Even if it was in “Yankee-land.”
Jared, you are almost certainly correct about most of us not seeing a total of 2 to 3 inches from I.R (“Isaac’s Remnants”). But I like your strategy, if that is what it is. On a few occasions when I have become pessimistic about my rain chances, I got a 1/2 inch or more within a couple of days.
DT just posted a futurecast and looks interesting this evening especially for the Hokie game! I am actually more interested in this supposed upcoming cool snap. Kevin, are you going to elaborate more on this in your next post?
The wisdom of Kevin. The heavy cloudiness this morning and noontime will …. check that, IS …. greatly reducing the chances of a big t-storm later. I/we have seen this scenario play out many, many times in the past, and it is nearly always correct. With high humidity, a sunny morning means (OK, not always) an afternoon or evening t-storm. Heavy clouds in morning and noontime, it might rain a bit, but no thunder.
Just watched “7′s” rainfall model through Thursday, and they are showing the additional rain amounts peaking over in West Virginia, about 2 inches in Lewisburg, WV for example. Only an additional 0.8 for ROA.
I would rather there be rain on the radar to keep the atmosphere somewhat stable.
Kevin, what’s the tornado threat like? Seems like it has been shifting our way…
Conditions at Radford at 12:45 PM: Sun’s coming out, patches of blue sky, and the clouds are zipping along from the SE. Very impressive!
Nice link from NWS tweet.
NWS Blacksburg @NWSBlacksburg
Check out the following link to view year to date precipitation for our region. You can view other time scales as well.
http://tinyurl.com/ctn6mo5
So Floyd, Montgomery counties are now under a flash flood watch. Hmmmm? Still very overcast and dreary here with low cloud level.
Looks like the atmosphere is heating up
a little in the areas East and Southeast of ROA..
Looks like a boundry trying to develop in the central
Carolinas..
Will be interesting to see what the SE flow brings
in from over the Wstrn NC mountains.
Now that you’ve ignored the Old Farmers Almanac, here’s the competing Farmers Almanac’s winter forecast just out.
http://www.farmersalmanac.com/weather/2012/08/26/will-winter-return-with-a-vengeance/
Link-Man cometh!! Thanks for the link to the “Farmer’s Almanac,” whatever that is. Where is it published, if you know? I got a kick out of the screen that is listed “On the Money — The Farmer’s Almanac Accuracy.” Listed many times when they predicted correctly. If they truly predicted a warmer than normal winter for the eastern USA, hats off to them, because I was not aware of any other organization that did. But did they also predict a mild winter for Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, etc.?? They were quiet about that. I quickly scanned all the brief paragraphs on that “On the Money” page, and did not see any where they admitted to missing a forecast. THAT IS A RED FLAG THE SIZE OF A BUICK.
No Flash Flood watch for us in Wythe County, where it will not rain.
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/rnk/
very dry in Bburg past 3 days. looks like some T storms might reach us just in time for the game.
Finally starting to see the stuff in NC coalesce a bit more and take on a more north-northeasterly direction. That is from where our evening rain will come. Yes, I even think Wythe County will get some.
Nate asked about tornado potential. It’s been slowly diminishing each day as the remnant low that was once Isaac has every so slowly come unwound. Tuesday might be our biggest chance of tornadoes, albeit slim. We may be positioned on enough on the eastern flank of the storm to get southeast winds at the surface with more southwesterly winds aloft creating some shear, plus there may be enough sun to add fuel to the storms along boundaries. Some rotating thunderstorms — supercells — will be possible. Can’t ever entirely rule out tornadoes when supercells are possible. This is Tuesday, not this evening, and the chance appears very slim.
My family and I took in the Salem Red Sox season finale this afternoon. Weather was great, for my liking — cloudy and gloomy, but 70s with a nice breeze. Sun briefly burned through in the 7th inning, making it really sticky for a few minutes. Glad the rain held off for the Red Sox. Right now, thinking the Hokies won’t make it through as dry.
HERE IT COMES. Invasion of the rains right up the interstates. One at/near Bristol where I-81 enters Virginia, and the other just south of Fancy Gap where I-77 enters Virginia from NC. That 2nd batch, if it holds together and especially if it expands, and if it gets to me, I will possibly get bombed. When rainstorms (or snowstorms) approach from the south, I nearly always get more than Roanoke Airport.
Kevin, is it my imagination or is the center of circulation of “Isaac” on the WV-Ohio boarder?
http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/virginia/weather-radar?play=true
Looking at the Radar / Future Cast on this site — looks like showers at Cincinnati are moving N to NNW while those in western Ky are moving S and SE. I would place center pretty close to Louisville right now.
That batch of rain in the Fancy Gap area south of Hillsville seems to be taking “dead aim” at Blacksburg. Tens of thousands of Hokie Fans and I and Leo Lady wish it would make a slight course correction and come visit SW Roanoke County instead.
And guess what else? Those storms along the I-77 corridor (on the NC side of the border in particular) are much more powerful at this point in time than those in the Abingdon/Blackwell Chapel area. Quite a few bright reds along I-77.
Rained Saturday morning,again Sunday Morning.Had 2 heavy storms come through last night.Cloudy most of the day,so far only 79 for a high.I`ve had more rain in the last 3 weeks than most of July!Grass has been Green for about a month now.Been cutting every 5 days just to keep up!Hope everyone down that way gets plenty of rain out of this system.Go Hokies!Gotta win tonight!
Yes Kevin…sorta looks like cntr of circulation btwn Louisville and Bowling Green..looks like cntr is movg more Southeast.
Meant to mention that we had “0.19″ inches of rain yesterday for a total so far this month of “0.66″ inches. So far no rain up here on Doppler ridge. Let’s hope it doesn’t jump over us. Yes, Doug, when storms come from the south – we generally get some of it – rain or snow.
Hope all of my friends stay dry at the game tonight.
Rain started up here on the ridge at 6:35 p.m. It is heading towards B’burg.
Looks on radar like you’ve got a little shower ahead of the main rain mass, Carol. Seeing a few more of those smaller showers now forming out ahead.
Just got clipped by that cell moving up I-77..heavy winds and rain for just a brief bit,the bulk of storm stayed about 5 miles east of me.Chihuashuas freaked out of course…kinda looks like a bow line on radar now…
To bad the Hokies aren’t playing in Greene, wouldn’t have to worry about rain then! Charlottesville news said we are still 5 inches behind for the year.
I’m hearing the Jaws music….as we watch the radar. The lightning is the real issue at Lane – they evacuate the entire stadium if there is lightning within an 8 mile radius. I’m seeing the first band of storms on radar approaching but looks like there is more to follow after that. An interesting night to come!
Radar says there’s gonna be a lot of wet Hokies soon. They should have held the game in Dryville. We had less than 0.10 a half hour ago, and it’s all but over, a bit of light drizzle, no more coming our way for hours it would seem.
Radar isn’t showing any lightning strikes in the batch approaching Blacksburg. But folks nearer the storm will have to make a determination on that.
Dont see much in the way of ltng sttikes cloud to ground near theburg…a couple down by NC border…mostly just modt rain..briefly heavy out of Patrick Co vcnty..
What are the chances that Botetourt will get wet tonight? We had a great storm last night with heavy rainfall. I’d love to see another one.
Doppler Carol, I had to smile/chuckle at your kind-hearted wish in your 6:31 comment, hoping that your friends at the game tonight stay dry. People have wished the same to me and my fellow letter carriers when it has been pouring for hours, we are soaked to the bone, and they kindly utter those same words. The only way your friends at the game stay dry is if they either have the best ponchos ever made with legwear and footwear to match, or they spend the game under the stands watching closed-circuit tv. There is 100% chance of at least moderate rain for Lane Stadium, and almost certainly that rain will last for more than a few minutes.
Rick, is this becoming June 2010 all over again? I was wondering what you were talking about, but now I see. The southern half of Smyth County and the SW part of Wythe County got the short end of the stick and rain gauge so far. A mini dry hole.
By the way, my lament here late last night (10:49 PM) about the rain fizzling out in Tazewell and Smyth Counties and the ensuing “Boo” typed by me were on your behalf. I was really hoping that you would get something out of that.
All right, HokieTrax, I will “bite:” (please forgive the pun) why did you hear the music from Jaws a while ago? Was that mid-1970s classic on television again? I love Roy Scheider’s classic line, as he stands near Quint in shock: “We’re gonna need a bigger boat.” He was very right, but Quint wasn’t about to listen to him.
Touchdown Tech! Virginia Tech that is! Clouds skirting us, maybe the random rain drop but still dry.
Radar has been showing leading edge of rain fizzling moving into Christiansburg. A good sign for the Hokies, tonight and this season?
Had some light rain off and on all day and a couple rays of sunshine. About 6 pm the real rains arrived and we had around 6 or 7 tenths. The rain has just subsided. Our total rainfall since Saturday is now at over 2.10″. Issac has been good to the Chapel. I see rain moving northward toward Roanoke and my prayers are with any of you up that way that need it. My brother left here today and when he got back to Vinton, no rain had fallen at his house.
Yes…looks like all activity aling NC border is rapidly drying up..looking quite good as evening progresses
The radar map looks like the parting of the waters, going on either side of Lane Stadium!
It’s like a magic Hokie Bubble over Hokieburg! Amazing!
The presence of Hokie Storm Chasers and the bubble we take with us everywhere we go in storm season might have something to do with it!
Could just be too that the returning hormones is creating a significant heat island effect…the duck pond used to have its own climate…
Munch, munch. HOW ON EARTH … munch, munch … did such a broad band of rain … munch, munch …. miss Lane Stadium??? YECH!! Will somebody please pass the butter and salt??!! And better yet, about 6 packets of Splenda?? Gosh, those words of mine taste TERRIBLE!! I am happy for everyone at Lane Stadium.
OK, Doppler Carol, how much of a contract dollar-wise and for how many seasons do you want in order for you to be a snow hater?? Your wish at 6:31 came through marvelously. Now we all (well, almost all) want a VT victory tonight.
I have another idea. Since I doubt I can recruit you to be a snow hater, how about coming on the blog and hoping that all the letter carriers in the Roanoke Valley who walk “stay dry” when a big rain seems imminent??
Glad it didn’t rain at Lane Stadium to complicate that amazing finish.
Yes, KM, this is a very bitter pill for the loser of this game to swallow. Turned out to be GT, not VT. There were some clutch plays by both teams in the final 12 minutes, but also some huge mistakes. The interception thrown by the GT QB in OT turned out to be the biggest one.
Agreed, Kevin….an amazing finish to the game..and even more amazing the fact that Lane Stadium dodged what appeared to be a sure-fire deluge. According to the NWS, Roanoke airport rec’d 0.13 of an inch this evening. Here in Blue Ridge, we only got 0.01″ today, which came in a brief shower (with some sun shining through) around 6PM.
Kevin, I “smell” a new thread within the hour. True? I want to ask a question of fellow bloggers, but only on the new thread if there will be one by tomorrow morning ….
Irony of ironies — it looks like Greene County may getting some rain now, where Jared was very doubtful about today’s setup.
Doug, I plan to post before I go to bed, if I can stay awake long enough to do so.