Monday, February 9, 2009

Enjoy the Warmth While it Lasts

The weather this past weekend was nothing short of amazing for early February. We didn't set any records in Richmond, but missed by only one degree on Saturday and just three on Sunday. Both days were in the 70s, with light winds and a ton of sunshine. We have another mild duo of days ahead of us this week on Tuesday and Wednesday, but there's a little bit of a catch. Cloud cover will be much more prevalent than over the weekend, and it looks to be quite a bit breezier as well. The changing conditions will be in response to a strong storm system that will move through the area Wednesday night. We'll have a chance for showers and even a thunderstorm, but most of the severe weather with this system should be to our north and west. We'll still have a slight chance of seeing a few strong storms, so we'll monitor it closely. Cooler weather will move in behind the storm system by the end of the week, and it should stay cool over the weekend. There is some indication that even colder air will move back into the area late next week. Get out and enjoy the warmth while it lasts!

Mild Monday, Warmer Through Wednesday, With Storm Chances This Week

A cold front moved through the state Sunday evening, bringing a brief stall to our weekend warm-up. However, Monday afternoon will still be mild with temperatures reaching the upper 50's and 60's in much of the Commonwealth. High clouds continue to overspread the state from the West, as a large low pressure system moves through the Plains and allows moisture to surge ahead of it into the Eastern U.S. High pressure at the surface will remain in place over the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast through mid-week, and winds will remain Southerly across Virginia Monday through Wednesday aiding another warm-up back to highs in the 60's and 70's.

The potent storm system Zach mentioned in the previous blog entry still looks on track to impact our weather Wednesday evening, overnight, into early Thursday with rain and thunderstorms possible. That low is currently moving into the Southwest U.S. through California and Nevada, and we will be closely monitoring its development and progress through the Plains and Mississippi Valley region over the next couple of days, where it has the potential for severe weather.

--Carrie