Where's The Rain?

Even with a soggy March, we are now officially below normal for rain this year. April was an exceptionally dry month across the Mid-Atlantic and Deep South.

Some of the South has seen rain this month (Tennessee has seen too much), while we have remained dry:


So it makes you wonder - who has seen all the rain so far this year? In the map below, you can see that it has been wet across parts of New England, Tennessee, Florida, Texas and northern California. Louisiana and southern Mississippi have been the driest area of the country.

Dry & Windy!

The front has now passed the area, so the chances for rain are now zero. However, winds have strengthened from the northwest with gusts ranging from 30 to 40 mph. Blustery conditions will persist through the rest of this afternoon, which will contribute to a high fire danger. I'm expecting winds to subside substantially after sunset, though we should have a steady breeze tonight and into Mother's Day.

Summer-like Start to May

As a result of persistent high pressure in the region and good southerly flow, the first days of May have felt more like July in Central Virginia, when average highs are in the upper-80's. Normal high temperatures for early May are in the low-70's, but so far this month, our morning low temperatures have felt more like those highs. Richmond International Airport recorded morning low temperatures in the low-70's on both the 2nd and 3rd! Thursday will be another hot one, with highs around 90 degrees in the region, and high temperatures are still expected to reach the mid-80's Friday and Saturday before a strong cold front moves through. Here's a recap of our Lows and Highs so far this month:

May: (Low Temperature, High Temperature)

1: 58, 89

2: 72, 90

3: 73, 84

4: 63, 86

5: 56, 87

I mentioned a strong cold front coming on Saturday. This will sweep through in the morning and mid-day, allowing cooler, drier air to begin moving into the state. By late afternoon, temperatures will have fallen from the mid-80's to the low-70's. On Mother's Day, highs will only reach the upper-60's and low-70's! But this might be welcome relief for Mom after a week straight of Summer-like heat in Spring.