Showers & Storms Likely Saturday

The latest data continues to support a good chance of showers and thunderstorms as an upper-level storm system and surface cold front move through the area. A lingering upper-level low will lead to slight rain chances into Monday. Have a great weekend!

Severe Thunderstorm Watch Until 9 PM

The watch inlcudes most of Central Virginia with damaging winds and hail being the primary threats.

Strong to Severe Storms Possible Friday

As a strong trough moves toward the East today, and Southwesterly flow over Virginia continues, we will have the risk for strong to severe thunderstorms in Central Virginia this afternoon and evening. Good lift will be in place across the region today ahead of this trough, and sufficient heating and low-level moisture will also be present. Highs will again be in the low- to mid-90’s in Central Virginia, with humid conditions. Threats from the strongest storms will include damaging winds and large hail, but any of these storms will produce locally heavy downpours.

The surface cool front associated with this upper storm will move into Central Virginia Saturday, with more widespread showers and storms across the area ahead of and along the boundary, which should be in far SE VA by early Sunday morning.

--Carrie

Dangerous Surf This Weekend

As Hurricane Bill passes several hundred miles to our east in the Atlantic, it will generate large swells of 9-10 feet along our coastline, and along much of the Eastern Seaboard. Cape Cod and eastern Maine and Canada will receive the worst of the waves and gusty winds as Bill brushes the region on its turn Northeast into the North Atlantic. Waves just off of Cape Cod will likely be 12-15 feet Saturday and Sunday.

If you have plans to be at our Atlantic beaches anytime from Friday morning through Sunday evening, be aware of the high risk for rip currents and large waves that make swimming dangerous. Rip currents are especially likely around jetties, piers, and sandbars. If you become swept in a rip current, do not fight the flow but try to swim parallel to the shoreline until you are out of the current. Then swim at an angle (not straight to the shore) back to the beach.