Summer Pattern Developing

It's been a relatively mild Summer thus far, with below normal temperatures and humidity levels.  It looks like that is about to change.  A Bermuda High will develop over the next several days, which will bring a steady flow of moisture into central Virginia.  The result will be dew points increasing from the low 60s to the low 70s over the next few days, which will have a considerable effect on the comfort factor of our weather.  Expect lows at night to stay in the low 70s and highs to top out near 90.  Occasional disturbances embedded within a persistent southwest flow regime will trigger showers and thunderstorms each afternoon and evening.  We will be in somewhat of a weather "rut" over the next week or so.

Close Call

A strong low pressure system *just* missed us off the coast. It had an impressive center of circulation, but never developed enough tropical characteristics to become a named storm. It will continue to weaken as it moves up the coast towards New England.

Talk About a Tropical Downpour!

As a disorganized tropical area of convection continues to hug the Atlantic Coastline, it is bringing some heavy showers and storms to regions near the ocean. Yesterday evening, Wednesday, July 22, one such thunderstorm moved inland toward Columbia, South Carolina. From about 10:30 p.m. to Midnight, 3.77" of rain fell at Columbia Metropolitan Airport. Yowza! This did demolish the old daily rain record for July 22, which was a long-standing one at that. The old record rainfall for July 22 at Columbia, SC was 2.24" set back in 1896.

This same disorganized area of convection is passing just to Virginia's east in the Atlantic Thursday, and has brought a few heavy showers to far east-central Virginia so far this morning.
--Carrie