Windy Start to the Work Week

A cool front will move through the area early Monday, and strong southwest winds will develop in it's wake throughout the day. Sustained winds will be in the range of 15-25 mph, with a few higher gusts.

Zach

Winter Weather Advisory Update

A winter weather advisory will remain in effect until 3 PM for Albemarle, Nelson, Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Page, and Rockbridge counties.  A light coating of ice, generally less than .10 inch, will be possible as rain falls into sub-freezing surface temperatures.

Zach  

Weekend Weather Update

A strong storm system will spread rain into central Virginia Saturday evening through early Monday. Enough cold air could wrap into the system to produce a few flurries Monday afternoon and evening.

Zach

Seasonal Weather Continues on Black Friday

High thin clouds will continue in central Virginia throughout the day on Friday.  Temperatures will still be seasonal, with highs in the upper 50s to near 60 degrees.  A strong storm system will be moving into the area this weekend, bringing a good chance of rain to the state on Sunday.  I'll have the forecast details tonight at 6 and 11.

Zach

Zach's Winter Weather Outlook

We are now in a much different weather pattern than this time last year, and it is expected to remain that way. I'll have the winter weather outlook for central Virginia, including total snowfall predictions, on CBS 6 tonight at 6 and 11.

Zach

Thanksgivings Past

I had someone here at the TV station ask about the weather for the past few Thanksgivings - from Wednesday through Friday. I did the research and figured I would share the results with you as well!

2007
Wed Nov 21: 76°, dry
Thu Nov 22: 75°, sprinkles
Fri Nov 23: 49°, dry

2006
Wed Nov 22: 47°, rainy
Thu Nov 23: 49°, light rain
Fri Nov 24: 67°, dry

2005
Wed Nov 23: 44°, flurries
Thu Nov 24: 65°, dry
Fri Nov 25: 39°, dry

2004
Wed Nov 24: 69, light rain
Thu Nov 25: 68, light rain
Fri Nov 26: 48, dry

Nice Weather Expected Through Thanksgiving

Expect cold nights and cool afternoon with no chance of precipitation in central Virginia through Thanksgiving Day. A more unsettled weather pattern will develop over the weekend.

Zach

Isolated Snow Showers West Of I-95

A few light snow showers have popped up on Doppler Max 6 this afternooon. These are moving to the east and should affect some areas in Central Virginia. These are being fueled by the sunshine, so once the sun goes down, skies will quickly clear and the chance for snow flakes will be diminish.

Rain Now Gone

We had a few lingering light showers earlier this morning, but now they have moved east. Rain totals ranged from a quarter to a half inch. Although skies are now sunny, clouds will return by midday with a chance for a few flurries. Once the sun sets, skies will quickly clear out later this evening.

Most of the Rain has Shifted East of the Area

The bulk of the rain has shifted east of Richmond, and only scattered showers are expected through early Tuesday. A cold front will move through the area bringing breezy westerly winds and cooler temperatures to the area by afternoon.

Zach

Light to Moderate Rain Continues

Expect light to moderate rainfall to continue for the next several hours in central Virginia. Most locations will receive between .10 and .25 of rainfall through midnight. I'll have another update later tonight.

Zach

Rain Quickly Moving Into Central Virginia

A broad area of rainfall continues to develop and move into central parts of the state. A few scattered areas of light rain will arrive in Richmond at about 4:10 PM, followed by a more consistent and heavier wave of rain due in around 6 PM.

Zach

Above Normal?

I was perusing through Richmond's climate this morning and was startled by one statistic - on average, temps have been slightly above normal so far this month. This is hard to believe considering the cold weather we've seen the past week - we tied a record low temperature on Sunday morning!

If you crunch through the numbers (high and lows), you get a 50.2 average temperature. Granted, the normal is 50.0, so we are *just* barely above the norm.

We have some rain headed this way for late this afternoon and especially this evening and tonight. This storm system will also bring in a reinforcing push of cooler air, so it is possible that we will finish the month at or slightly below normal.

Expect Gradual Clearing and Very Cold Temps

The flurries have now ended in the area and skies are beginning to clear. Lows tonight will fall into the low to mid 20s in the metro, with even colder readings north and west of Richmond.

Zach

Clouds Thicken, Flurries To The West

Isolated patches of flurries have developed west of I-95. The best chance to see flakes right now will be from Orange through Charlottesville and farther south into Farmville. Clouds have returned for most of central Virginia and isolated flurries will still be possible across the entire state for this afternoon. Skies will quickly clear later this evening, especially right after sunset.

Winds have also strengthened from the northwest 15 to 25 mph (stronger gusts possible). These breezes will ease up later tonight and into tomorrow morning.

Wintry Weather Quickly Exiting

Light snow lingers in the southeast corner of the state and should be completely gone in the next couple hours. In fact, skies are now clear for most of central Virginia. The core of the storm system is still to the west and will pass over the area later this morning and into the afternoon. Clouds will quickly return and isolated flurries will also be possible.

Wintry Mix To The South

There have been several reports of light snow south of I-64 - from Emporia to Wakefield and into Virginia Beach. I also got a phone call from a viewer in Dewitt who says it's snowing. This batch of wintry weather is moving to the southeast and shouldn't affect Richmond or communities to the north. In addition, temps are well above freezing, so I am not expecting any significant accumulations with the snow this morning.

Isolated pockets of flurries will still be possible for the entire state this afternoon as the core of this storm system passes overhead.

Be sure to send photos of snow to the Weather Center: weather@wtvr.com!

Breezy and Cold Finish to the Work Week

A strong cold front has moved through the area and will bring the state a blustery end to the work week. An upper-level disturbance will move over the area on Friday, producing flurries across much of the region. The cold air will last through the weekend, with a slow moderation in temperatures expected next week.

Zach

A Very Cold Night Ahead

The snow has now ended across most of the state, but the cold air is still settling in. Lows by Wednesday morning will be in the teens and twenties statewide. The current cold weather pattern will generally stay in place through the remainder of the month, resulting in below normal temperatures, and another chance or two to see a few flurries.

Zach

Flurries Linger

Just got a report from my co-anchor Greg McQuade, and he says that there are flurries in Carytown. Looking at Doppler Max 6, we still have isolated flurries hanging around the area...even with temperatures in the upper 30s and low 40s! The chance for flurries will quickly diminish after sunset (around 5 PM).

Snow Pictures From Matoaca

These were sent in by Donna Lodge, thanks!

Flurries Exit

Most of the the flurries have now diminished across the area. We could still see extremely isolated pockets of flurries for the rest of this morning, but the chances are slim.

Keep those photos coming! Email me at ajustus@wtvr.com

Video Of Snow In Chesterfield

This was sent in by James Williams...thank you!

Snow In Chesterfield County

A nice batch of flurries is now moving through Chesterfield County. Here is a photo from Claudia:

More Snow Reports

We have received some more reports of flurries in the near West End of Richmond. These photos were sent in from Evelyn in Louisa where it snowed earlier this morning.

Flurries In The Area

I got a call from Stacy, our weatherwatcher in Louisa, and she reports that snow is falling at her house. Patches of flurries will be possible through the morning, then skies will eventually clear out by this evening. We are not expecting any accumulations with these flurries, in fact, most will melt on impact.

Please send any photos of snow to my email, ajustus@wtvr.com, and I will show them on-air!

Flurries Possible in Central Virginia

A strong cold front will move through the area tonight, setting us up for a very blustery day on Tuesday. There will be very little moisture to work with, but strong lift due to the upper storm system should be sufficient to produce a few flurries around central Virginia. The bigger story will be the wind chills, which will remain in the 30s throughout the day.

Zach

Light Rain To The North

Some light rain has developed in northern VA. This batch of showers will continue to move to the east and should miss metro Richmond and areas to the south.

A stray shower will be possible for the entire area later this evening and into tonight. We could also see a couple flurries tonight as colder air descends into the Mid-Atlantic.

A Cool Week Ahead

A cool air mass will turn colder on Monday with the passage of a strong cold front. Temperatures will struggle to reach the mid 40s Tuesday afternoon as the colder air continues to pour into the state. Lows by Wednesday morning will fall into the upper teens and low to mid 20s. A few snow flurries will be possible as the associated upper disturbance moves through the area Monday night into Tuesday morning. Temperatures will remain cooler than normal for at least the next 7 days. Have a great work week!

Zach

Severe Threat Gone, Showers Linger

The threat for severe thunderstorms is now gone for today. Spotty showers linger behind the front and should exit the region late this evening and into tonight.

Richmond, Petersburg In The Clear

Most of metro Richmond and Petersburg have been removed from the Tornado Watch. Strong storms are still possible for the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck.

Tornado Threat Shifts East

The threat for damaging thunderstorms continues for areas along and east of I-95, where a Tornado Watch remains in effect until 7 PM. Most areas west of I-95 are now clear of the Tornado Watch...with exception of Dinwiddie, Brunswick and eastern Chesterfield counties.

Spotty showers have been developing behind the front, so the rain chance will linger after sunset. These showers will pose no threat for severe weather.

More updates to come...

Tornado Watch Until 7 PM For Most Of The Area

A line of thunderstorms is starting to develop to the west and should overspread most of the area for this afternoon. These storms will be moving very quickly, so damaging winds will be possible. In addition, there is enough spin in the atmosphere that a brief tornado could also develop.

Most storms should exit the region this evening and into tonight.

Tornado Watch Likely by 1 PM for Central Virginia

A few breaks in the clouds has resulted in a very warm and unstable environment over much of the area.  Thunderstorms will develop in a broken line this afternoon, and enough wind shear is present to produce a few tornadoes.  I expect a tornado watch to be issued by around 1 PM today.  Aaron and I will be in the CBS 6 Storm Center, tracking the storms through our area.

Zach

Rain Mainly East Of I-95

As you can see on Doppler Max 6 from above, at this hour most of heaviest rain is east of I-95. The Tornado Watch for our southeastern communities has now been lifted, although there are a couple strong thunderstorms affecting the Norfolk and Eastern Shore areas. These will continue to move to the northeast and away from our area.

It looks like things have really improved for the Richmond Marathon! Isolated light showers will be possible, but most of the race should be dry.

Another round of rain will head this way later today as the core of the storm system approaches. Embedded in the showers will be a few strong thunderstorms. We'll keep you posted!

Tornado Watch in Effect Until 8 AM

A tornado watch is in effect for Greensville, Sussex, and Surry counties, including the cities of Emporia and Williamsburg, until 8 AM Saturday morning.

Zach

Enhanced Tornado Threat Saturday

Strong low-level wind shear will result in the potential for rotating thunderstorms capable of producing short-lived tornadoes on Saturday.  As of midnight, tornado watches had been posted as far north as the Virginia/North Carolina border, with a few strong storms already moving into central Virginia.  A round of strong to possibly severe thunderstorms is expected in the metro area before 3 AM.

Zach

Rain will Increase in Coverage Overnight

Increasing low-level moisture and lift from an approaching storm system will result in widespread rainfall overnight in central Virginia. Areas not receiving rain will likely see drizzle or fog. Temperatures should remain steady or slowly rise toward morning.

Zach

Spotty Showers In The Area

We still have fog looming around the area. In addition, a few showers have moved into central Virginia from North Carolina. The chance for scattered showers will persist into this afternoon and evening. I will have an update during our noon newscast...see you there!

Fog Lingers

Visibilities have improved a little in Richmond and Petersburg, where visibilities are now at 1.5 miles. There are reports of thick fog and light rain farther south in Emporia, South Hill and Norfolk. North Carolina is inundated in rain showers, which I'm still expecting to move into our area by the afternoon and evening.

Foggy Start To Friday

Patches of dense fog have developed across the area. Visibilities in Richmond have dropped below a quarter mile. Half mile visibilities have been reported in Petersburg, South Hill and Norfolk. Some mist and drizzle will also be possible with the thickest fog. Most of this should lift by the late morning with rain showers moving in for the afternoon.

Fog and Drizzle Likely Overnight

The consistent rain has ended in central Virginia, but we will continue to see areas of fog and drizzle overnight. Rain chances will once again increase Friday afternoon and evening, with a 100% chance of rain Friday night through Saturday afternoon. Enough instability should be present to produce a few thunderstorms as the upper-level storm system moves through the area Saturday afternoon.

Zach

A Soggy Lunch

Showers have now overspread the area and will persist through a good chunk of the afternoon. We're still expecting these showers to quickly race out of here in the evening - between 5 and 9 PM.

Steady Rain To The West

I am tracking a nice line of steady rain that has developed to the west. This rain will eventually overspread central Virginia by midday and last for most of the afternoon. The majority of the rain will quickly exit the region after sunset (between 5 and 9 PM).

More Rain Headed This Way

More light rain showers are developing to the southwest and are headed this way. For this reason, isolated showers will still be possible this afternoon and evening. This is just the start of a rainy weather pattern for the next few days.

Light Rain In The Area

A few light rain showers are moving across the area for this morning. This is quickly moving to the east/northeast and should be out of here by midday. I will be tracking these showers through the morning - you can follow along by watching the live stream of Doppler Max 6 at the top of this page!

George Washington National Forest

We are blessed to live in a state that is so beautiful, and has so much to offer. My family and I try to do something new each week, whether it be eating at a new restaurant, going to a new park, or getting to the beach, bay, or mountains. This past weekend, we made it up to the mountains, and found ourselves in the George Washington National Forest in Nelson county. We took a quick hike up to Spy Rock, one of the best viewpoints in the Blue Ridge. With two young children, we weren't able to hang out long, but long enough to really enjoy the scenery. The photo below is of Mount Pleasant, one of the highest peaks in the area. We'll be heading back again soon.

Zach

Weather On Mars

You may have seen this story during the morning newscast, but NASA's Phoenix Lander finally succumbed to the weather on Mars. So it makes you wonder - how bad is the weather on Mars?

Right now Mars is still in summer (seasons last about two times as long as Earth), and temps have dipped as low as -141 degrees Fahrenheit during the night. Once it turns winter later next year, temps could drop as low as -230!

Granted, the Lander is at a very high latitude - almost near the pole. At lower latitudes, daytime temps can reach a balmy 70 degrees in the middle of summer.

School Visit to Kersey Creek Elementary

I made my way up to Hanover county this afternoon to talk to a group of about 150 4th grade students at Kersey Creek Elementary school. They were a very sharp group, and we were able to cover all types of weather affecting central Virginia. I'm in the back of the pack in the photo, demonstrating static electricity with a balloon on a willing participant's hair.

Zach

Paloma Makes Landfall In Cuba

Paloma made landfall in Cuba as a strong Category 3 hurricane. Here is the text from the National Hurricane Center:

AT APPROXIMATELY 620 PM EST...2320 UTC...HIGH-RESOLUTION GOES SATELLITE DATA AND A RECENT POSITION FIX FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT...PLUS SURFACE OBSERVATIONS AND RADAR DATA FROM CUBA...INDICATE THAT MAJOR HURRICANE PALOMA LIKELY MADE LANDFALL NEAR SANTA CRUZ DEL SUR CUBA AS A STRONG CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 125 MPH...200 KM/HR.

A Look Ahead...

I'm the kind of meteorologist that's always looking for the next big storm. Big storms really aren't common this time of year, so it's more about looking ahead to the next cold snap or chance of snow. We may have such an occurrence about two weeks from today. There doesn't appear to be a strong case for snow, but colder temperatures are looking more and more likely by the day. We have enjoyed highs in the 60s and 70s for much of October and so far in November, but this cold snap could bring us our first few days of highs in the 40s. It's a long way off, so much remains to be seen. I'll have updates in the coming days. Have a great weekend.

Zach

Paloma Continues to Strengthen

Hurricane Paloma will likely become a strong category 2 or even a category 3 major hurricane before making landfall in central Cuba.  Strong westerlies in the southeast U.S. will steer Paloma south and east of the U.S. mainland, taking the storm over the Bahamas, and then into the open waters of the Atlantic.

Zach

Paloma Named In The Caribbean

Hurricane season isn't over yet - Paloma was named at 4 AM today! This storm will slowly move north through the Caribbean in the next few days. We will continue to track this storm and keep you posted.

New Tropical Depression

Tropical depression #17 has developed off the coasts of Nicaragua and Honduras this afternoon, and will likely strengthen over the next several days. Conditions appear favorable for this disturbance to become a hurricane while moving north-northeast. If so, it would be called Paloma. Below is the forecast track from the National Hurricane Center.




Zach

Most Showers Have Moved East

Although skies remain cloudy, most of the rain has moved to the east, closer to the core of the storm system. We could still see an isolated shower this afternoon and evening, with the best chances east of I-95.

Wet Weather to Continue Overnight

Areas of light rain, drizzle, and fog will continue overnight in central Virginia. Heavier rain will be possible across far eastern sections of the state, especially by Wednesday morning. Rain chances will decrease in the Richmond Metro Area throughout the course of the day Wednesday, with the heaviest rain continuing to impact far eastern parts of the state.

Zach

Showers Have Broken Apart

We are now seeing a lull in the action although isolated light showers still linger across the area. Some steadier rain is developing to the south and southeast and could overspread central VA later this afternoon and evening. We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you posted!

Doppler Max 6

I have embedded a live stream of Doppler Max 6 into our blog so you can track showers as they move across the area.

Still Watching To The South

Showers are widely scattered from Petersburg southward to Emporia. This could replace the steady rain we are experiencing right now in the Richmond metro area. It may be a good idea to vote around lunch...you may not need your umbrella! More updates to come!

Steady Rain In Richmond

Rain is still falling outside the WTVR studios...what a soggy start to Election Day! I have noticed that showers are becoming more spotty along the North Carolina state line. This trend could migrate up into the metro Richmond area later this morning and into midday. We will continue to watch the situation and keep you updated!

Will Rain Help Out McCain?

According to an extensive study of fourteen presidential elections (here is the link to the abstract), weather can have an impact on voter turnout. In general, people are less likely to vote when either rain or snow is falling from the sky (cold air has a minimal effect). In addition, Democrats are less likely to vote in inclement weather than Republicans.

Looking at the latest data, rain still looks possible tomorrow, especially in the afternoon. So you have to wonder: will it have an impact on the outcome in Virginia?

Other states that will see some rain or snow: North Carolina, South Carolina, California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, western Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.

Here is the latest satellite/radar composite as of 1 PM.