Thunderstorms Possible Wednesday

After scattered showers moved through the state this morning, we're getting some breaks in the clouds which should allow the atmosphere to become more unstable this afternoon. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible from this afternoon into tonight as a cold front moves into Central Virginia. This front won't bring in a cooler airmass, but will serve as a forcing mechanism for storm development. Some of the storms that form today could become severe with damaging wind gusts and large hail, but there is also the slim chance for an isolated brief tornado closer to the surface low tracking just north of Virginia. That low pressure system will head out to sea away from the Mid-Atlantic tomorrow morning.

Break From Heat & Humidity

We are finally getting a break from the much warmer-than-average heat and humidity that was prevalent since May 30th. The average high temperature in Richmond for early June is about 80-82 degrees. Here are the high temperatures since then:

May 30: 91
May 31: 90
June 1: 88
June 2: 88
June 3: 90
June 4: 92
June 5: 95 (2 degrees shy of the record high of 97 from 1943)
June 6: 96 (TIED the record high for this date from 1952)

So far this month our average temperature is about 10 degrees above normal for early June. But we aren't the only ones getting an unusual late Spring taste of high Summer heat:

With a strong ridge expected to develop over much of the East Coast at the end of this week, high temperatures will again rise 8-10 degrees above average by this weekend.

Rain Totals Sunday

Once again, storms were hit-and-miss today. On the map below, three isolated thunderstorms created narrow strips of moderate rainfall across our area. Highest totals were near Tappahannock and farther to the northeast.