Rainfall Overnight, Showers Friday

As a cold front moved through the state overnight, some heavy rain fell in spots, especially from the Farmville to Petersburg areas and southward into Southeastern Virginia. Most places picked up less than half an inch, but a few spots picked up 1" to 2", based on radar estimates. Here are some estimates:
Farmville: 1.4"
Petersburg/Colonial Heights: 2.4"
Portsmouth: 1.6"
Williamsburg: 1.1"
Charlottesville: 0.8"
Victoria: 0.6"
Richmond: 0.5"

Scattered showers will continue to move into Central Virginia Friday morning, but should wind down from North to South Friday afternoon.

Virginia State Fair Opens Today!

The Virginia State Fair opens today at 10 a.m., when skies should be variably cloudy with warm and humid conditions expected today. With all the low-level moisture in place during the peak afternoon heating, scattered showers and isolated storms will be possible in Central Virginia. It won't be raining everywhere all the time; these will be the hit-or-miss variety of convection. Just keep a slicker or umbrella handy today if you're going to the Fair. Here is an hour-by-hour forecast today:

10AM: Variably cloudy. 79 degrees.

Noon: 20% chance isolated shower. 83 degrees.

5PM: 30% chance scattered showers/storms. 87 degrees.

9PM: 30% chance scattered showers/storms. 76 degrees.

A cold front will move through the state overnight, putting an end to our unseasonably warm and humid weather. Rain chances look slim for Friday at the Fair, but a fast-moving upper-level trough will bring another opportunity for showers and storms Saturday night (most likely after dark) through Sunday morning (likely ending by lunchtime). Scattered showers and storms will also be possible in Central Virginia Monday.

Enjoy the Fair!

State Fair Forecast

The State Fair begins tomorrow, September 24th, and the running joke has been, "If it's Fair time, it's going to rain." I've heard so many people make this remark with a chuckle over the past several weeks. But the first couple of days of the Fair look pretty good! Only a few isolated showers are possible Thursday, and afternoon high temperatures will be quite warm in the upper 80's. A cold front will move into the state early Friday, though, putting high temperatures through the weekend in the upper-70's. Most of Saturday looks dry as well, before a quick-moving upper wave swings through the region Saturday night into Sunday morning bringing rain chances to the state. So if you have plans to be at the Fair Saturday morning into early afternoon, or Sunday afternoon, it will likely not be raining during those times.

We'll be providing updates on the Fair forecast through the end of the Fair, which is October 4. Remember, the Fair is at a new location this year, at The Meadow Event Park at I-95 exit 98, next to Kings Dominion. Gates are open from 10AM-9PM. For more details on daily events, check here.