Mixed precipitation ending (10:15 AM update)
UPDATE 10:15 AM: Most precipitation has ended in Southwest Virginia. As has become the calling card of this winter, frozen precipitation reports were spotty … a little more snow west of Roanoke and in higher elevations, very little sleet or snow in the Roanoke Valley (I saw not a single pellet or flake), but some reports of snow, briefly heavy at times, to the south and east of Roanoke at similar or lower elevations. A cold front passing later today will reinforce cold air for Wednesday, with upper teens and 20s lows, upper 30s to 40s highs. Then, on Thursday night and early Friday, we move on to our next borderline winter precipitation setup. END UPDATE
Winter weather advisory remains in effect this morning, Roanoke Valley, Blue Ridge and westward — CANCELLED
Surface temperatures are well above freezing — upper 30s and low 40s, having risen some overnight in many areas on southerly winds and underneath cloud cover — in the Roanoke and New River valleys as precipitation approaches from the west this morning. Cold/dry air aloft may still be sufficient to induce evaporational cooling for a period of sleet and/or snow as precipitation begins, with temperatures briefly falling into the low to mid 30s, before rising again during the morning. Accumulations should be slushy and light — less than an inch in most locations, locally as much as 2 in some higher elevations — but there could be some travel difficulties, especially in higher elevations and on bridges and overpasses. Most of the precipitation should be over by late morning with temperatures rising well into the 40s and some 50s this afternoon.
February 19, 2013 - 5:40 AM
RSS feed 
I will be interested to see some ground reports on precipitation. Given the surface temperatures, it’s hard for me to believe this will get to be a widespread dangerous situation, but we’ll see how it transpires in the next 90 minutes-2 hours. Beware it could change fast if frozen precipitation happens to fall heavily where you are.
Nothing hear yet as expected…wouldnt mind seeing a flake or two!
42.8* on da Knob, but everybody around me is 4/6* colder. Won’t take long to drop once the stuff starts.
Just saw a report of half an inch of sleet in Union, W.Va., not far west of the state line.
Remember — your precipitation reports, whatever is falling, can be helpful for a federal government research project at website below. Website link helps find latitude/longitude.
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/ping/
It was 26 degrees at 1am, now at 6am it is 40 degrees……….and, wait for it……….snowing heavily. Whatever.
40.5 wonderful degrees here. According to radar, it is supposed to be raining, but nothing reaching the ground here yet. Trash barrel out, newspapers in. :>)
Flakes started to flurry down @ 0615 here in Montgomery County near the arsenal. Appears to be more of a semi- frozen rain now at 0630
Snow just started here at 6:25, temp up to 36º and gusty south winds.
Snow in blacksburg
2 mi. N of Pulaski. 36* at 6:45. Spitting wet snow with a coating on the grass and melting on gravel and pavement.
Seeing a lot of echoes move over the Roanoke Valley, but not much precipitation being reported. Evaporation is occurring aloft. With that cooling, suspect we’ll see some sleet/snow make it to Roanoke Valley when precipitation gets going a little later, but likely not much accumulation with surface temperatures above freezing.
It’s snowing in Fairlawn. Seems to be sticking to the grass and cars but not the roads. If I’m not mistaken it rained first for a few minutes until it turned to snow.
Temp on roller-coaster of a sort here. 39.5* when I first looked, went up to 41.5* around 6:30, now dropping back to 38. Driveway damp, not wet.
Temp went up to 37º but its now down to 32º. Snowing big flakes and ground getting white. Winds really gusting now.
35 and the sleet/snow started around 7:05 am Ground is becoming white and visibility is down to about a half mile. Looks like schools are running on time up here.
Just saw my sweetie off to work. It is a mix of rain and sleet here.
Snow here in Hokieburg. May have started as something else earlier but it’s all snow now, coming down pretty good. I leave after 8 so I’ll know how the roads are then.
Forgot to mention – temp at my house is 35. Was 34 just before dawn.
From around 5 AM til 7 AM, a lot wasn’t reaching the ground. However, those echos jest turned white and caused Bent Mt. to disappear.
It started snowing fast and furiously about 6:30-ish am with half inch on the ground already. Looks like it started off with all snow. Temp is 30F and a bit of a wind in the mix too.
Rain and 35 at the Chapel this morning. Saw some snow mixed in as I came to Abingdon but nothing to write home about. Some snow west of here but no schools closed but some on delay.
Snowing here in Charlottesville.
One of our employees drives in from Waynesboro and she reported rain until she hit the top of Afton, then snow all the way into Charlottesville. I guess that is a great demo of the effects of the cold air wedge banked up against the mountains because Waynesboro’s elevation is almost double that of Charlottesville.
Roanoke looked socked in with snow just now on my way to work. Must have been mostly evaporating. Just started raining light to moderate here in Rocky Mount.
Just rain here. Not seeing anything else mixed in at all. Just rain.
Started as a light rain and has now changed to snow here in Rocky Mount.
Had a little bit of sleet on the deck with temps at 36. Currently mix of light rain and some snowflakes falling.
Big fat conglomerated flakes in C’burg and B’burg for my drive in to work this morning, with a dusting accumulation on the grass, but nothing sticking on the roads or paved surfaces. It looks like it’s tapered off now in B’burg.
Temps are falling in Buchanan. We were at 39 @ 6 and now 34. It is raining mixed with a little bit of something. It’s really hard to tell if it is sleet or snow.
It has stopped here completely.
The cold air has been scoured out as its just raining now..
I had a tiny bit of sleet this morning at home, but turned to all rain before I left for work. Temp holding at 41* here at work.
.4″ with a water equiv of .04″ 2.4 miles ENE of Blacksburg Elev 1,800
Here are some snowfall reports to the NWS, such as they are:
https://nwschat.weather.gov/p.php?pid=201302191352-KRNK-NOUS41-PNSRNK
Some memories from a year ago today, Feb. 19, 2012 (apologies for the yet-unsolved missing comments problem).
http://blogs.roanoke.com/weatherjournal/2012/02/snow-only-slowly-fading-away-after-widespread-5-to-9-inches/
http://blogs.roanoke.com/weatherjournal/2012/02/sunday-afternoonevening-snow-thread-1-inch-per-hour-rates-thundersnow-possible/
http://blogs.roanoke.com/weatherjournal/2012/02/a-quick-look-back-at-the-snow-and-a-quick-look-ahead-at-a-warmer-future/
http://blogs.roanoke.com/weatherjournal/2012/02/a-brief-look-at-active-weather-ahead-and-a-long-last-look-at-the-2192012-snowstorm/
Mr. Griggs, looks like you picked yourself a good ole stout limb. Nice call.
Doug and Channel 13 indeed get the highest marks for today’s forecast (it actually underperformed even these low-end forecasts at my location, since I didn’t even see any sleet). HPC did very well too, with its skepticism of 1-inch amounts east of I-77/WVa line.
Ironic twist about Channel 13′s low-end forecast is that Lynchburg itself, where Channel 13 is located, actually saw some heavy snow for a short time today, defying everyone’s forecasts there.
But at least I’m feeling pretty good about the snow meter right now. I don’t think Roanoke goes over an inch Friday AM, though Blacksburg might get another fraction to go with with today’s fraction to get to an inch.
39 here long way to go to the forecasted 51
Just saw that Channel 13 meteorologist Jamey Singleton was involved in a head-on crash on Rte 122 in Bedford County…and had to be cut out of his car and airlifted.
Keep Jamey Singleton is your thoughts and prayers. Apparently he was in a nasty accident this morning.
http://www.wset.com/story/21242001/update-serious-accident-involves-abc-13-employee
The sun is out!!! There is a slight breeze – for now. Our precip ended up as rain and melted our dusting of snow.
Got my fork in my hand and am about ready to put it into “winter” and call it done. LOL!
S and SW winds that moved in overnight, jacked up the temp here so no way was it going to snow on da Knob except for a few flakes.
once again they where wrong thats a shocker. They havent been right all year long.
Horrible news. Was on that highway myself Monday.
Thoughts and prayers for Jamey and the 2 people injured in the other vehicle.
Praying for Jamey and the other 2 men that have been taken to the hospital.
Fred: Facts don’t back up your statement. Nobody has been wrong “all year long.” Jan. 17 snowstorm, Jan. 25 snow, last Wednesday’s cold rain miss, some other events verified very well with official forecasts. If you’re going to criticize when forecasts are wrong you’ve got to point out when they are right too. Today’s offiical forecast was even pretty close to right for parts of the New River Valley.
A link of the wreck.
http://www.wsls.com/story/21242523/bedford-county-accident-closes-moneta-road
NO MORE COMMENTS WILL BE APPROVED HERE … system will not approve above 50 comments on any thread. Technicians are working on the issue. I will start a new thread soon for continuing comments.