"After Review, We Have a Reversal"

Earlier reports that the cause of Sunday night's light and sound show was due to a Russian rocket booster burning up upon re-entering the earth are now believed to be false. U.S. Strategic Command is reporting that the rocket re-entered the atmosphere over Taiwan nearly two hours later, and that eyewitness reports from the Mid-Atlantic are consistent with exploding meteors called "bolides".

Fireball Update: Russian Rocket Booster

The meteor-like explosion Sunday night was most likely not a meteor, but rather a Russian Soyuz rocket booster re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. For an update on what the mysterious fireball was over the Mid-Atlantic, read our CBS 6 news update here.
--Carrie

Fireball Spotted In Virginia Sunday Night

Some people enjoying the gorgeous weather outside Sunday evening in eastern Virginia finished off the sunny, warm day with a bang...a surprising, unexplained one. Some people in the Virginia Beach area called into 911 centers reporting a bright, streaking light accompanied by explosions Sunday night around 9:45 p.m. Homes were even shaken during the event, according to some who experienced the fireball. Virginians were not the only ones to spot the spectacle, with reports of the fireball coming in from Hampton Roads to Maryland around the same time.

You can read some of the eyewitness accounts here: The Virginian-Pilot

Although there is no official explanation, descriptions of the event point to a meteoric fireball entering the Earth's atmosphere. Space junk is also a possibility. No damage has been reported.

If you spotted the fireball and caught it on camera, email your video or picture file to crose@wtvr.com.

There have been other, similar meteor events in our region. Probably the most famous is the Peekskill Meteorite from October 9, 1992. Thousands of people witnessed the bright meteor, and sixteen cameras captured the green fireball when it passed over parts of Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. You can view video clips of that meteor as it was entering the Earth's atmosphere here.
--Carrie

Winds Weaken A Little...For Now

Wind gusts were as strong as 37 mph earlier this evening. Gusts have dropped to around 24 mph in the last hour and will weaken a little more later tonight. Once the sun rise tomorrow morning, winds will strengthen from the west 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. Winds will then diminish around 7 PM tomorrow evening.

Threat For Severe Weather Is Gone

Dry air has punched into central Virginia, so the chance for any thunderstorms has now diminished. The rest of today will be windy, warm and dry.

Check out what this storm system left behind in the Midwest. Late Friday and into Saturday, this storm dumped over two feet of snow just west of Wichita! Denver received 3 to 6" with near 12" in the foothills. Kansas City also picked up a quick 2 to 5".

Isolated Showers This Morning

A few light rain showers have popped up across the area, especially west of I-95. We are also seeing a light shower here at the WTVR studios in the West End of Richmond. These showers are quickly lifting to the northeast and we will gradually dry off by late morning.

Isolated thunderstorms will still be possible into the afternoon. The best chances for any severe thunderstorms will be east of I-95, however, the chances are looking less and less.

We will continue to monitor the situation and have more updates.

Patchy Dense Fog This Morning

As warm air surges into our area, some patches of dense fog have developed west of I-95. Visibilities in Farmville and Lynchburg are less than one mile. Strong winds will mix out most of this fog by 9 AM.

Severe Threat Gone For Tonight

The air is extremely stable, so the threat for severe storms has diminished tonight. Isolated strong storms will still be possible between 10 AM and 4 PM tomorrow, especially east of I-95. I'll have another update tomorrow morning.

Quick Update - 8 PM

Scattered showers continue to move across the area and more are developing to the south. We will see periods of showers through the night with isolated thunderstorms. The strongest storms could contain damaging winds and small hail. There is also a slight chance for a weak tornado or two.

Isolated thunderstorms will still be possible through midday tomorrow, especially east of I-95. The chances for rain diminish by late afternoon and into the evening.

Rain Totals So Far

Here is a map of rainfall estimates from late Friday into early this morning.

Light blue: .25" to .5"
Dark blue: .5" to 1"
Green: 1" to 1.5"

Rain Exits, Fog & Mist Lingers

The heaviest rain has now left our area, which is great news for the Monument Ave 10K! Be sure to grab a jacket if you are watching the race - temps will remain cool through the morning.

8AM: Cloudy with patchy fog and mist...50°
10AM: Mostly cloudy...52°
NOON: Mostly cloudy...55°

Ukrop's Monument Ave 10K Forecast

Detailed forecast for the 10th Annual Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K:

Two waves of moderate to heavy rain will affect the Richmond Metro area this weekend, and it appears as though the big race Saturday morning will get started just as the first wave of rain is winding down. I do not expect a threat of lightning in the area during the race. Rain will increase in coverage and intensity Friday evening through the overnight hours, and should be moving east of the area around sunrise. Much of Saturday should be dry, with the next wave of rain moving in Saturday evening and continuing into Sunday. Here’s the updated race day forecast from the CBS 6 Storm Center:

7 AM: Cloudy and cool with a 60% chance of rain. Temp: 49
8 AM: Cloudy and cool with a 60% chance of rain. Temp: 50
9AM: Cloudy and cool with a 40% chance of rain. Temp: 51
10 AM: Cloudy and cool with a 30% chance of rain. Temp: 53
11 AM: Cloudy and cool with a 20% chance of rain. Temp: 54

Dense Fog Friday Morning

A Dense Fog Advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. for nearly all of Central and Western Virginia Friday morning. Visibilities are being reduced below a quarter of a mile in many places, including in the Richmond metro area. Please use extra caution this morning on the roads, allowing extra drive-time and distance between surrounding vehicles. I expect the fog to gradually diminish by late-morning.
--Carrie

Quiet Overnight

Skies have cleared across most of central Virginia, with only a few showers lingering across southern and southeastern parts of the state. Friday will start off mostly sunny, with increasing clouds in the afternoon. Rain will move back into the area Friday evening.

Rain Tapering Off This Evening

At 6:48 PM, a band of moderate to heavy rain extended from Richmond, southwestward through Mecklenburg county, moving east at 25 mph. Additional rainfall of .25"to .5" will be possible as this band of rain continues eastward. The rain will come to and end in the Richmond/Tri-Cities area by 7:45 PM, with only a few light showers possible thereafter.

Several Rounds Of Rainfall Likely

Round one of rainfall over the next several days is moving through Central Virginia Thursday morning. Initially, the rain is light, with drizzle also occurring in the region. The main area of moderate rainfall will move through Thursday afternoon and evening, when up to 0.5" of rainfall accumulation is possible in much of Central Virginia. Round one will end from West to East overnight into early Friday morning.

Round two of rainfall will begin moving into the Commonwealth late Friday night, and start out as light rain/drizzle, much like it is early Thursday morning. And, much like it will Thursday afternoon, the rainfall intensity is expected to pick up Saturday afternoon and evening. Saturday night into early Sunday morning, a line of heavy rain with some thunderstorms looks likely to move through the region, bringing an additional 0.5" to 1" of rainfall accumulation. Round two will end from West to East Sunday afternoon.

Round three of rain and thunderstorm chances should move through Tuesday.
--Carrie

NASCAR Back in Virginia

NASCAR returns to the Commonwealth this weekend, with the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Rain will be very likely on Sunday in central Virginia, and it unfortunately looks like a wet day down in Martinsville as well. If the storm system should accelerate, it would take most of the rain east of the area by early afternoon. I don't see that happening right now, but I'll keep you posted. I'll have another race day forecast on Friday.

Updated Ukrop's Monument Ave 10K Forecast

Unsettled weather will return to central Virginia late Wednesday through the weekend, making rain a possibility during this year's Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K. The only change to the forecast has been to lower the temperatures a little. Mostly cloudy and cool conditions should be great for the racers. Here's the latest forecast from the CBS 6 Storm Center:

Saturday, March 28th (during race time)

Mostly cloudy with a 40% chance of rain. Wind: S 5-10 mph

Temps:
7 AM: 50
9 AM: 55
11 AM: 59

Is The El Nino-Global Warming Link Bogus?

Research conducted by Texas A&M University has found that an El Niño event in 1918 was much stronger than scientists thought before. Plugging in the 1918 event conditions into an advanced computer model produced strong El Niño results (significant warming of the equatorial Pacific waters off the west coast of South America), which was well before the 20th Century’s global warming trend. Therefore, these results call into question previous scientific claims that global warming is making El Niño events stronger.

In 1918, surface data collection in the Pacific was not as widespread as it is today, so scientists were previously working off of scattered ship-based measurements. Those records indicated a weak El Niño in 1918, instead of the quite strong event produced by the Texas A&M computer model run. This discrepancy adds fuel to the scientific community’s debate about how well-founded conclusions on El Niño and global warming are when based on an often spotty surface data record. A&M scientist Ben Giese, who presented these research results at a climate change conference in Perth, Australia Tuesday, asserts that computer models are a good way to investigate pre-1950 El Niño events. Giese stated Tuesday, “It makes it a challenge to talk about El Niño and global warming because we simply don’t have a detailed record.”
(Reuters correspondent David Fogarty conducted the interview with Giese Tuesday in Perth.)
Ben Giese's faculty page at TAMU

For a current ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) Cycle Discussion released March 23, click here.
For the latest Climate Prediction Center diagnostic discussion on ENSO, click here.

It does appear that we will continue to transition from La Nina back to ENSO neutral conditions through the Spring and Summer 2009. What that means for Central Virginia is that we will have “equal chances” of being above or below normal for temperature and precipitation through the rest of Spring. ENSO should have no major impact on our climate pattern for the next few months.

--CARRIE--

Recap Of Winter

This is the best way to sum up the past winter: it was dry with about average temperatures. A lot of this can be attributed to the weak La Nina that developed in January. Here are some fast facts:

*A normal winter features four days with highs exceeding 70 degrees. This winter had nine (three of these days were in the 80s earlier this month).

*The lowest minimum temperature was 4 degrees on the morning of January 17th

*The lowest maximum temperature was 23 degrees on January 16th

*The highest maximum was 82 on both March 8 and 9

*The snow total was 6.3 in Richmond, which all came from one storm. This is almost half the norm for the entire winter.

*The overall average temperature was below normal for January and March, while February was much warmer than normal.

*We have seen more precip this month than both January and February combined.

Cold This Morning

Temperatures dipped down to the upper 20s across most of the Commonwealth this morning. In fact, we were one of the coldest spots in the entire Mid-Atlantic region!

Time For Sun Block Season

Between the Vernal Equinox (yesterday) and the Summer Solstice (June 21), the northern hemisphere "tilts" toward the sun.





During this time, the sun's rays quickly strengthen. This is important to remember if you plan to be outdoors tomorrow. Even though it will be comfortably cool out, be sure to slap on the sunscreen, otherwise, you will look like a lobster!

Spring Officially Springs!

At 7:44 a.m. exactly, the Vernal Equinox occurs. This is the official start of Spring for the Northern Hemisphere, when the Sun's incoming solar rays are more directed at us than "down under." The Sun's rays pass directly "over" the Equator at 7:44 a.m., meaning the Northern Hemisphere begins receiving more sunlight than the Southern Hemisphere. We pass into Spring and Summer, while the South passes into Fall and Winter.
--Carrie

Friday Morning Mist

The cold front that moved through Central Virginia Thursday afternoon has cleared the Commonwealth, but some lingering clouds and mist remain in the region. I expect this to end by mid-morning, becoming mostly sunny this afternoon and clear by tonight.
--Carrie

Overnight Update

The rain has ended in the metro and will continue to exit the southeastern part of Virginia through the pre-dawn hours Friday. Friday will be cooler with highs in the low to mid 50s in central Virginia.

Scattered Showers and Cooler This Evening

The cold front has moved through the metro area and will continue southeastward through the rest of the state tonight. Temperatures have fallen from the upper 60s into the mid 50s in the past 3 hours, and a broad area of light to moderate rain has developed across the area. Expect the showers to continue this evening, with the rain tapering off from NW to SE late tonight. Most areas will pick up rainfall totals in the range of .10" to .25".

Cold Front Coming Thursday Afternoon

A cold front is just moving into far western Virginia this morning, and will reach the Richmond Metro Area by 3 p.m. It will shift winds from the Southwest to the North, and cooler temperatures will gradually follow suit. Low temperatures Friday morning will fall into the 30's, and the official First Day of Spring will not feel much like it, with highs only in the low 50's.

Spring officially starts at 7:44 a.m. Friday, when the Sun's solar rays are directly "over" the Equator, as the Earth's tilt shifts most of the Sun's incident rays to the Northern Hemisphere instead of the Southern Hemisphere. We pass into our warmer season as we receive more hours of solar radiation, while "down under" they lose hours of daylight and pass into their colder season.

Fog Lifting

Dense fog that has affected much of Central Virginia Wednesday morning is finally starting to dissipate. However, there are still many parts of the region experiencing dense fog, so please continue to use caution driving until lunchtime. This afternoon should be mostly sunny and noticeably warmer in the upper 60's and low 70's!
--Carrie

Dense Fog Wednesday Morning

A Dense Fog Advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. for much of Central and Eastern Virginia this morning. Visibilities are below a quarter of a mile in much of this region. Please use extra caution this morning on the roads! Reduce your speed, put extra distance between you and the surrounding vehicles, and keep your headlights on the low beam setting.

The dense fog will gradually break up and become mostly clear by lunchtime.
--Carrie

Spot The Space Station!

UPDATE WEDNESDAY:
If you missed the sighting Tuesday night of the Space Station with the shuttle Discovery docked, you have another opportunity Wednesday night. This viewing will not be as good, but it is another three minute opportunity.

Wednesday, March 18: 8:08-8:11 PM. Look NW to NE low in the sky.

For other viewing opportunities, click here for Richmond, and click here for other cities in Virginia.

---ORIGINAL TUESDAY POST---
After the rain this morning and clearing clouds this afternoon, you might be able to spy the Shuttle Discovery and International Space Station orbiting Earth. They will have docked by the listed viewings below. You will be looking for a bright white dot that does not "blink" or shimmer in the sky like a star does. It will be moving smoothly and steadily across the sky, but not at the apparent speed of a shooting star. So you should be able to spot and track the object without much difficulty. Tonight's viewing will be pretty high in the sky and three minutes long, which is a great opportunity.

Here are the ISS/Shuttle viewing opportunities for the City of Richmond:
Tuesday, March 17:
7:41-7:44 PM Look West to Northeast more than halfway above the horizon.
Wednesday, March 18:
8:08-8:11 PM Look Northwest to Northeast low in the sky.

For other viewing opportunities, click here for Richmond, and click here for other cities in Virginia.

This Isn't Enough

Believe it or not, we still need more rain. Even though it has rained for the past four days, it hasn't amounted to much. At least it has put a dent in the deficit. Here is how we now stand for the year:

Rain Returns

At least it was dry for the first half of today...hope you enjoyed it! Showers are back and will linger into tonight and very early tomorrow morning. Most of central VA will pick up roughly a quarter to a half inch more rain from this system.

Areas of Dense Fog Monday Morning

After all the beneficial rainfall this weekend, there is plenty of moisture around early Monday morning to create fog, with light winds and low clouds. Most visibilities are better than a mile, but there are areas of denser fog in the region. Be especially aware of it in the Southeastern quarter of the state this morning. During your commute this morning, reduce your speed, allow extra distance between vehicles, and keep your headlights on the low beam setting.

The next round of rain will move into the Commonwealth by late morning, and showers will continue through the evening. Rain will gradually taper off from West to East Monday night.
--Carrie

Congrats to VCU

Vs. ?

Congrats to the Rams for making the Big Dance! I think they have a good chance at beating UCLA. At the opposite end of the bracket, I will be cheering for my alma mater, the University of Kansas. In a perfect world, VCU would meet up with the Jayhawks in the final!

Rain Totals

Now that most of the rain has diminished, here is a map of rain totals from this weekend.

Light blue: .25 to .5"
Dark blue: .5 to 1"
Green: 1 to 1.5"

Showers Diminishing...Finally!

Rain is finally tapering across the entire area. Skies will remain cloudy for this evening and tonight with patchy fog and some mist and drizzle. Another round of rain is headed this way for tomorrow, then we will finally see some sun by late Tuesday.

A Wet Start To Today

Showers continue to stream into our skies this morning. Although we could get an occasional break from the rain, today is going to be a soggy day. Showers will start to taper a little after sunset.

I have added a poll at the top of our blog which asks "On a rainy day, I like to:". I hope you participate in the poll. I have already posted my response: cook (although watching movies was a close second).

Damp, Dank, Dismal, Drury

There's no denying it, today was a nasty day! Whenever I experience a day like this, I try to stay positive. Here are a few things we should be happy for:

1) These showers are slowly erasing the rain deficit. The deep shades of blue on the map below represent rain totals today of over .5", the light shades of blue received around .25"



2) The rain is washing away a lot of the dirt and grime left over from the snow storm from two weeks ago.

3) Today is a great day to catch up on a book, or watch a movie with the family.

Well, you get the picture...the glass is half full. Tomorrow is also looking rainy, so try and stay positive!

Much-Needed Rain Headed This Way

Scattered light to moderate rain will continue overnight, with temperatures remaining in the mid 30s. Temperatures in the higher elevations of Nelson, Amherst, Augusta, and Rockbridge counties will fall very close to or just below freezing, allowing a light coating of ice to develop. A freezing rain advisory is in effect for these areas until 10 AM Saturday. A steady soaking rain is expected Saturday in central Virginia, especially in the afternoon and early evening hours. Most of central Virginia will receive at least a half an inch of rain, with several areas seeing more than an inch. The rain will become more scattered in nature on Sunday, making it the better of the two weekend days to do any outdoor activities.

Slow Transition to Rain Continues

Rain will continue to be mixed with sleet and snow through the early afternoon, especially along and north of I-64.  Another round of light precipitation was moving into the western communities of the Richmond metro area at 1 PM.  Surface temperatures are ranging from 3 to 5 degrees above freezing, so only a brief and very light accumulation on grassy surfaces will be possible.  All rain is expected by later this afternoon.

Light Snow Continues Northern Half VA

Light snow continues this Friday morning in the northern half of Virginia, but coverage is becoming scattered and increasingly light. I also expect most of the snow to change over to all rain by early afternoon. Surface temperatures continue to remain above freezing, so no icing on roadways is occuring. Some grassy surfaces have received a dusting of light snow this morning, but this will melt through the next few hours as falling snow increasingly mixes with and completely changes over to rain by early afternoon.
--Carrie

Snow On Grassy Surfaces

Because surface temperatures remained above freezing in most of Central Virginia Friday morning, snow was not able to accumulate. However, there has been a light dusting on some grassy surfaces from the morning snow. This will be melting quickly over the next several hours, but here are a few shots taken from viewer Misty!

Friday Morning Update 8:06 a.m.

Sleet is beginning to mix with the light snow here at CBS 6 on West Broad Street in Richmond. I expect this trend to gradually shift North through the morning, with mostly sleet/rain by Noon, and all rain through the afternoon in most of Central Virginia.

Surface temperatures have remained above freezing everywhere, except for around Charlottesville where the temperature is 32 degrees. Some slick spots may be developing on the roads there.

Accumulations continue to be light on grassy surfaces, and will melt as the snow changes to rain.
--Carrie

Friday Morning Update 7:03 a.m.

Light to moderate snow continues to fall this morning across the Northern half of the Commonwealth, but temperatures in most places are above freezing. Snow is only accumulating on grassy surfaces, but will all melt later this morning as the snow gradually transitions to rain through the afternoon. Roads are only wet, and no icy patches are expected in the Richmond Metro Area. The only part of the region that may have some slick spots is around Charlottesville, where the temperature has fallen to freezing.

Snowfall reports coming to us are pretty light. You have to go to far West-Central Virginia to get one to two inches of accumulation.
--Carrie

Friday Morning Update 6:03 a.m.

Snow reports coming in this morning from Weather Watchers indicate up to 2" of snow on grassy surfaces in far West-Central Virginia Northwest of Charlottesville. Moderate snowfall at 6 a.m. is also accumulating on grassy surfaces in the Northern Neck at Newland, but the surface temperature is 33 degrees preventing icing on roads. At Locust Grove in North-Central Virginia, a rain/snow mix is falling, and the surface temperature is 36 degrees.
--Carrie

Friday Morning Update 5:33 a.m.

The light winter mix continues at this time across much of Central Virginia. The transition zone from just rain to the mix is south of the Richmond Metro Area, encompassing the entire Metro in a light rain/snow/sleet mix at this time. Temperatures remain above freezing, so roads are not icy this morning, nor do I expect them to become icy. Please use the same caution you would when driving on wet roads in rainfall.

Light snow is being reported from Charlottesville down I-64 toward Richmond, and areas to the North and East into the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck. However, most of this will melt this morning.
--Carrie

Friday Morning Update 4:45 a.m.

A light winter mix is moving through Central Virginia early this Friday morning. A mix of sleet, snow, and rain is currently affecting the Richmond Metro Area, but no icy spots are expected to develop this morning as temperatures will remain above freezing here. Also, temperatures will remain above freezing in much of Central Virginia this morning. Only west-central parts of the Commonwealth are under a Winter Weather Advisory until Noon for snowfall accumulating up to two inches.

I expect the winter mix to become primarily a sleet/rain mix by mid-day and early afternoon, transitioning over to all rain by late afternoon Friday.

Meteorologist Aaron Justus is in with me this morning, and you can chat live with him on our CBS 6 Storm Blog!
--Carrie

Overnight Update

Latest data and radar trends indicate the best chance of snow overnight through Friday morning to be across west-central Virginia. The Richmond metro will get only a very light wintry mix of rain and snow, with a transition to all rain by 10 AM. No travel problems are anticipated in central Virginia, as low temperatures are expected to range from 34 to 37 degrees.

Winter Weather Update

The latest data continues to point toward a rain/snow mix across central Virginia overnight through early Friday. Surface temperatures will remain a couple of degrees above freezing, so little to no accumulation is expected in the metro area. A winter weather advisory has been issued farther north and west where one to two inches of snow will be possible. The wintry mix in central Virginia will transition to all rain by late morning. I'll have an update later tonight when new data becomes available. Storm Team 6 Meteorologists Carrie Rose and Aaron Justus will be tracking the storm through the early morning hours on the air and on the web.

Winter Mix Possible

A winter mix of precipitation (primarily falling as a wet snow with some sleet mixed in) is possible late Thursday into Friday morning. The moisture that will feed this is currently surging through the Southern Plains and into the Mississippi Valley region Thursday morning. A winter mix is occurring through Oklahoma and Arkansas, and I expect that same mix to reach Central Virginia overnight into Friday morning.

Thanks to recent very warm temperatures in the 70's and low 80's, soil temperatures are pretty mild. This means that elevated, exposed surfaces will be the first to freeze Friday morning. Bridges and overpasses may develop some slick spots for a couple hours, before temperatures rise back above the freezing mark.

We will be updating you through Thursday with the latest on this storm's track and impact on Central Virginia.
--Carrie

Winter Weather Possible Early Friday

A pattern somewhat favorable for precipitation will develop late Thursday, bringing the possibility of a brief round of winter weather to central Virginia on Friday. Vertical temperature profiles suggest that snow would be the primary mode of precipitation, with a mix to sleet and then rain throughout the course of the morning. I'll have the latest on this developing winter weather situation today at 5:00, 5:30, 6, and 11.

UPDATE: Discovery Launch Delayed...Again

EVENING UPDATE: The scheduled space shuttle launch of Discovery (see original blog posting below) has been delayed again, this time because of a leak in "gaseous hydrogen vent line," according to NASA. Another launch attempt may occur Thursday night.

---THIS MORNING'S POST---

After a month delay, U.S. space shuttle Discovery is on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, ready to take off Wednesday night at 9:20 p.m. EDT. You can watch the launch live online here.

The weather looks fine for a safe launch tonight, as the cold front that will move through Central Virginia this evening will not reach Cape Canaveral. However, weather was not the reason why the mission was delayed last month, but rather, concerns about the safety of fuel pressure gauges. After a month of testing, managers cleared the vessel for its mission.

Discovery’s crew will assist in final installation of the International Space Station’s solar-power system, and also ferry Japan’s first “resident” crew member to the station. Discovery will remain docked in orbit with the ISS for two weeks. While there, crew members will unload $300 million worth of solar wing panels, and also install a replacement distiller for the experimental urine recycling system that has experienced some glitches. (That interesting piece of technology takes the urine and sweat of the astronauts and converts it back into clean water, which the astronauts drink!)

The Space Station has been under construction for more than a decade. It is visible to the naked eye on clear nights as it orbits the Earth 220 miles above the ground, and it is often a little brighter when a shuttle is docked, too. You can check viewing opportunities in Virginia here.

--Carrie

Blue Norther!

A very strong cold front is moving through the Plains today, causing a 20-30 degree temperature drop in just an hour or two! Check out this surface map snapshot taken at 10:30 AM of Oklahoma, where the cold front is halfway through that state. This dramatic temperature drop is often referred to as a "Blue Norther." The biggest Blue Norther in history was on November 11, 1911, when many cities broke record high temperatures before plunging to record low temperatures, all within 24 hours. For example, Springfield, MO dropped 67 degrees in 10 hours, from a high temperature of 80 degrees to a Midnight reading of 13 degrees. Incidentally, Oklahoma City (where today's Blue Norther is moving through) also had a dramatic drop of 66 degrees from a record high of 83 to a record low of 17 degrees. Are you noticing a trend? Most Blue Northers primarily affect the Plains states and Midwest.

This is the same cold front that will move through Central Virginia Wednesday night. By the time it gets to us, it will not pack quite the same punch, but it will be potent enough to keep cooler temperatures in place through the weekend with highs in the 40's and 50's. Say goodbye to those 70-degree afternoons on Wednesday! We won't see those again for a while...

But, I always like to look on the bright side! At least we won't receive the blizzard conditions that are accompanying this storm system. The Dakotas and Minnesota are getting blasted, with up to 8" of snowfall in strong winds. This is serious enough to shut down roads and effectively force people to "hole up" and wait for the storm to pass. Although, I'm not sure you'd want to venture outside even after the blizzard stops, because very cold air is rushing in behind this low pressure system. Temperatures tonight are expected to drop into the minus teens to near minus 20 degrees.

--Carrie

New Records Set in Richmond

The recent warm weather in the region has resulted in two more temperature records in Richmond. Yesterday (Sunday, March 8) the low temperature never fell below 61 degrees. This sets a new record for the warmest low temperature, breaking the old record of 58 set in 1980. The high temperature today (Monday, March 9) reached 82 degrees, tying the record of 82 set in 2000. There have now been three temperature and one precipitation records set in the past eight days. March has certainly come in like a lion.

Windy Monday With Fire Danger

A dry cold front is moving through Central Virginia this morning, whipping winds from the West and Northwest with gusts up to 30 mph. With dry conditions and warm afternoon highs in the upper 70's in much of the region, there is an elevated risk for wildfires late this morning and through sunset. Despite the cold front moving through today, we won't receive the much cooler temperatures until tonight, which will keep highs Tuesday in the Commonwealth in the 50's.
--Carrie

Using The A/C??

Today's high was 82, which was three degrees shy of the record. I actually had to turn on the A/C in my apartment! Granted, it has a very strong southern exposure...

I think it is safe to say that the majority of last week's snow is all melted. Here is a plot of snowpack as of this evening:



The majority of snowpack now resides in New England and in the northern Midwest. I found this map at an amazing website...check it out!

http://www.nohrsc.nws.gov/

Can You Spot The Front?

Here is a plot of today's high temperatures - you can easily notice a stark change in temperatures from 70s in the south to 40s and 30s in the north. This clash of air masses is creating rain showers and even severe thunderstorms in the Midwest. This front will remain to our north for most of tomorrow...ensuring yet another beautiful day in Central Virginia!

Perfect End To A Perfect Day

Here are a couple snapshots of the sunset - taken from our Skytracker cameras. The first is in Richmond, the second Petersburg:





Highs today reached the upper 70s and tomorrow should be even warmer. So if you didn't have the time today, go ahead and dust off that grill and roll it out of your garage and enjoy tomorrow!

141 Days

It has been over one-third of a year since we have seen temperatures reach the 80s in the Commonwealth...141 days to be exact. We will make a run at the mark for both Saturday and Sunday. It's hard to believe that earlier this week, Old Man Winter had a strong grip on the area. The graph below is a plot of high temperatures and shows how quickly things changed through the week (normal high is 54).

Spring Things

This weekend’s high temperatures will be in the upper 70’s and low 80’s in Central Virginia, which are our average highs in late May and early June! It truly will feel like the heart of Spring this weekend, and we will also “pick up” an additional hour of daylight in the evening as Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday at 2 a.m.

DST is when we “Spring Forward” our clocks, a practice that has been in effect in the United States since 1918, with some adjustments through the years. This clock-shift is meant to provide more afternoon and early evening sunlight hours for outdoor activities, when the days are also already becoming longer with the Earth’s tilt providing more hours of sunlight for the Northern Hemisphere. In the wintertime, Standard Time is observed to allow the most productive use of morning and early afternoon daylight time for work, when days are shorter from the Earth’s tilt cutting daylight hours for the Northern Hemisphere.

The change back to Daylight Saving Time usually gets people thinking about the start of Spring. The Vernal Equinox, which is the official First Day of Spring, occurs this year on March 20 at 7:44 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. This is when the Sun’s rays reaching the Earth are directly over the Equator. Over the coming months, most of the Sun’s rays will be directed at the Northern Hemisphere, taking us into Summer, while the Southern Hemisphere transitions to Winter.
--Carrie

Weekend Update

The evening data is in and continues to support high temperatures in the upper 70s to near 80 degrees this weekend in central Virginia. Temperatures today reached the low 90s in central Texas and southwest Oklahoma, and mid 70s were experienced as far north as central Iowa. Expect the warm weather to last through the weekend, with a cooler air mass settling into the area by the middle of next week.

From Record Lows To...Record Highs?

We set a new record cold temperature for March on Wednesday of 10 degrees, but with the strong upper ridge headed our way this weekend, it begs the question, "Could we set a record low and a record high in the same week?"

Well, here are the record highs to beat Saturday and Sunday:

March 7: 83 degrees (1974)
March 8: 85 degrees (2000)

We are forecasting highs at Richmond International Airport this weekend in the upper 70's to near 80 degrees, which is several degrees shy of those records. Still, it is pretty incredible that we start out the week with a snowstorm and a foot of accumulation with record cold temperatures, and end up with near-record highs. We are definitely entering that tumultuous transition time from Winter to Summer, known as Spring!
--Carrie

From One Extreme to the Other

The low this morning of 10 degrees was not only a record for the date, but also a record for any day in March since records have been kept. Amazingly, we will be able to wear shorts and short sleeve shirts this weekend, as highs will reach the mid to upper 70s. The extended weather pattern indicates the possibility of another cold snap, but nothing like the snow pack-aided 10 degrees of today. Enjoy the nice warm up!

All-time March Record Low Broken

This morning's low temperature of 10 degrees not only broke the record low for March 4th, but also broke any low temperature in the month of March ever recorded! This morning was the coldest it has ever been in March at Richmond International Airport (on record). The previous March coldest temperature was 11 degrees, which occurred on several dates previously in March.
--Carrie

Record Low Broken Second Day In A Row

As of 5 a.m., the record low for March 4 was broken at the Richmond International Airport. The low so far today is 10 degrees, which breaks the old record for this date of 11 degrees from 1943. This is the second day in a row that we have broken the record low temperature. Tuesday, the new record low was 11 degrees, breaking the old record of 14 degrees from 1925.
--Carrie

Thank you CBS 6 Viewers

I want to send a quick thanks to all of our loyal viewers that took their time to send weather pictures to us here at CBS 6. We had literally over a thousand snow photos submitted to us over the past few days. We were only able to show a small sample of these in our newscasts, with many others going to our slide show on the CBS 6 homepage. It was one of the biggest winter storms in recent memory, and you captured it well. In addition to the photos were hundreds of snow depth reports, giving us a great idea of snow accumulations across all of central Virginia. Thanks again!

Ice A Danger Tuesday & Wednesday

After the snowfall, ice has become the primary concern for Tuesday and Wednesday in Central Virginia. As evidenced by this photograph taken this morning by viewer Ed in Rawlings, VA, icicles have formed on eaves of houses, trees, and power lines. Please be aware of these icicles.

Also, black ice continues to be a problem on many roads, as temperatures plunged into the low teens Tuesday morning, and remained there through mid-morning. Highs today will remain below freezing in much of Central Virginia Tuesday, and temperatures are expected to drop into the teens again Wednesday morning. Any snow that does melt or become slush today will refreeze again overnight, meaning round two of the black ice Wednesday morning.

--Carrie

OFFICIAL: Record Low 11 at RIC

The official report is hot off the presses from the Richmond International Airport with a new record low for March 3rd of 11 degrees. This temperature occurred at 6:48 a.m. Tuesday, which broke the old record low for this date of 14 degrees from 1925.
--Carrie

Virginia Snow Visible From Space

The snow still blanketing much of the Commonwealth Tuesday morning is visible from space. We have clear skies across the region, which is allowing an unobstructed view to the surface from space of the snow-covered ground. Below is a snapshot from this morning taken at 8:45 a.m., from the government aviation weather page. The dark grey in the image is ground that is not snow-covered, whereas the white you see on land is snowfall from the March 1-2, 2009 snowstorm from the Deep South through the Northeast. The white you see off-shore in the Atlantic is cloud cover from the exiting storm.

--Carrie--

Bottomed Out At 12 Degrees Tuesday Morning

The temperature has risen back up to 14 degrees at the Richmond International Airport after bottoming out at 12 degrees this morning for more than three hours around sunrise.
--Carrie

12 Degrees In Richmond, A New Record

As of 7:30 a.m., it is still 12 degrees in Richmond, with other temperatures in the region in the low teens and even dipping into the single digits in Western and North-Central Virginia. So far, 12 degrees is our low temperature today, which is a new record for March 3rd.
--Carrie

Winter Storm Summary Issued

For a complete summary from the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center of the snow totals from this winter storm, click here. This includes totals from the Deep South all the way up the Eastern Seabord into New England.
--Carrie

It feels like ZERO degrees in Richmond

As of 6:30 a.m., the temperature at RIC is still 12 degrees, but the wind chill is ZERO degrees right now. Wind chill values are in the single digits across much of Central Virginia at this time, with air temperatures in the low teens.
--Carrie

NEW Record Low March 3

As of 5 a.m. Tuesday, the temperature at Richmond International Airport is 12 degrees, which officially breaks the record low for March 3rd of 14 degrees previously set in 1925.

But it feels even colder outside right now, with wind chills in the low single digits across much of Central Virginia.
--Carrie

Tied Record Low Tuesday

As of 4 a.m. Tuesday, Richmond International Airport officially has tied the record low for March 3, which is 14 degrees previously set in 1925. Our temperature may drop several more degrees this morning, and I will post updates to this record then!
--Carrie

Record Low Temperatures Likely Overnight

As of 3:15 PM, all but just a few snow flurries had moved out of central Virginia, and skies were beginning to clear. Lighter winds, dry air, clear skies, and snow cover will result in very cold temperatures area wide by Tuesday morning. The record low in Richmond on Tuesday is 14, set back in 1925. Our forecast low for Richmond Tuesday morning is 9, which will shatter the old record. I'll be back this evening to talk about this snow storm, and how it ranks compared to big storms in the past.

Snow Showers Will Gradually End

Snow showers continue in much of Central Virginia this afternoon, which may add up to an additional one inch of snow accumulation on what already fell overnight and early this morning. I expect the snow and flurries to be over with in much of the region by late afternoon. Overnight, skies will clear and allow temperatures to plunge into the teens and single digits. The record low to beat Tuesday is 14 degrees from 1925. I suspect we will break this record.
--Carrie

Light Snow

Spotty snow showers continue to fall across the region. This will add a dusting, possibly and inch, to the overall snow totals.

Snow Totals

With all the snow reports from this morning, here is a "best guess" map of storm totals. We appreciate all the reports!

Stubborn Snow Showers

A few light snow showers have redeveloped across the area. This shouldn't add much to our overall accumulations, but will look pretty as it falls from the sky.

Blue Skies Returning!

Peeks of blue skies are returning to Central Virginia as the storm system is rapidly exiting the Commonwealth after dumping up to a foot of snow. Lingering flurries and light snow will continue to taper off this morning, with clearing skies by this evening. Expect a VERY cold night tonight with lows possibly breaking some records Tuesday morning.
--Carrie

One Last Snow Band

A line of snow extending from Petersburg up to the Northern Neck still lingers this morning. This will eventually taper and we will see skies slowly clear into the afternoon. Winds will finally subside later this evening.

Winter Storm Warning to end at 9 a.m.

The Winter Storm Warning in effect for much of Central Virginia will end at 9 a.m. as the snow is rapidly drawing to a close from Southwest to Northeast. However, the blowing snow will continue as gusty winds up to 30 mph whip around what snow has already fallen.

And speaking of snow that has fallen...here's an update on totals coming into CBS 6:

Laurel 9.5"
Powhatan 8.5"
Bowling Green 8.0"
Hanover (Cold Harbor) 8.0"
Regency 7.0"
Mechanicsville 7.0"
Port Royal 5.0"
Coatesville 4.0"

(The above pictures are from Ed Jones in Rawlings, VA)

--Carrie

The End Is Near

The back edge of this storm system is just passing the North Carolina state line. Snow showers will taper from south to north between 7 and 10 AM. Winds will remain strong through the early afternoon, which will blow the snow all over the place!

Update on Snow Totals 4:30 a.m.

Heavy snowfall continues in Central Virginia at this time, with heavier bands on the west and northwest sides of Richmond. Here are some of the latest totals coming into the CBS 6 Storm Center at 4:30 a.m.:

Gum Springs 10.0"
Powhatan 7.5"
Bon Air 7.0"
Short Pump 7.0"
East Henrico 7.0"
Dinwiddie 5.0"

The back edge of the snowfall is in Central North Carolina at this time, so we still have several more hours of snow to come. I expect the snow to taper off from Southwest to East and Northeast through late morning.
--Carrie

Monday Morning 3 a.m. Update

Good Monday morning! We are busy in the weather center this morning monitoring the continuing winter storm. Snow totals as of 3 a.m. are already up to 8” in parts of Virginia, and rising steadily with the next round of heavy snow that is in progress. Here’s a selection…

Blacksburg 6.5”
Radford 6”
Powhatan 5.5”
Richmond 3.5”-6”+
Dublin 4”
Spotsylvania 3”
Merrifield 3”
Elk Run 3”
Sterling 2.5”
Fredericksburg 2”
Danville 2”

Winds are also quite gusty up to 30 mph, with snow-laden limbs breaking in the wind. Power outages are occurring…for the latest Dominion outages, check here.

We will be posting updates here through the morning, so check back often. Also, CBS 6 will begin on-air coverage at 4 a.m.
--Carrie

Virginia Snowstorm in Progress

The first wave of snow is coming to an end across the Richmond/Tri-Cities area, with totals ranging from 3.5" in southeast sections to 5.5" in northwest sections. The wind has increased over the past hour and will continue to strengthen overnight, resulting in widespread power outages. The upper-level low is currently moving into North Carolina, and should bring the metro an additional 2 to 4 inches of snow during the early morning hours Monday. The snow should come to an end from southwest to northeast through mid-morning.

Photos

Here is the order: Elam, Montpelier, Powhatan

What To Watch For In The Next Couple Hours

Here is a photo taken in Cumberland county where there is already 3 to 4" of snow:



Over the next couple hours we will be watching how quickly the sleet will change to snow across central Virginia. A fast transition means that we will see more accumulation. More sleet means less snow accumulation.

Update On Snow Forecast

After mulling through the data for the past couple hours, here is the latest on what we are thinking about accumulations. This wintry mix will change to snow in the next few hours...especially after sunset.

Winter Storm Warning Now In Effect

A Winter Storm Warning has now been issued for most of our area...indicated by the red on the map below. The shades of blue indicate a Winter Storm Watch.



Here is what we are expecting for accumulations.