Summer begins Tuesday

Summer "officially" begins Tuesday at 1:16 PM EDT, the moment when the Sun's most direct rays will be at the Tropic of Cancer north of the Equator.
From our perspective on Earth, this is when the Sun is at its highest point in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere, and it also has the most time of daylight. For Richmond, Tuesday will have 14 hours, 45 minutes, and 29 seconds of daylight.
After Tuesday, the daylight time will gradually lessen as the axial tilt of the Earth puts the Northern Hemisphere less in the direct path of the Sun's most direct rays. From our perspective on Earth, the Sun will appear to sink back southward.
Watch this educational video to learn why the Earth has seasons as a result of this "axial tilt":

Severe storms possible in Virginia through Monday morning

As an upper disturbance tracks over the Commonwealth later today and overnight, strong to severe thunderstorms are possible, capable of damaging straight line winds, large hail, and even brief, isolated tornadoes. Even if these storms do not become severe, they will still be able to produce torrential downpours that can lead to flash flooding, and also prolific lightning.

Highlighted in yellow is the most likely part of the state to experience severe wind gusts and large hail from this afternoon through early Monday morning:

A mature, "bowed" line of severe thunderstorms is tracking through Kentucky and Tennessee this Sunday morning, producing damaging straight line winds and large hail in response to that upper disturbance I mentioned. This same upper wave during daytime heating Sunday may enhance the line's intensity again, allowing it to survive all the way into the Commonwealth later tonight, and produce the same severe weather. If this is the case, severe activity may occur overnight while most of you are asleep. We will be monitoring the situation around the clock! Stay with CBS 6, we'll keep you ahead of the storm.
--Meteorologist Carrie Rose

A large wildfire in North Carolina is making Virginia's air smell smoky

Have you noticed a campfire smell in Virginia today? Our winds shifted overnight back from the south, allowing the southerly breeze to transport an air mass that has been held to our south in North Carolina all week. That air mass has been contaminated with smoke from a large wildfire burning in Dare County. The fire is in eastern North Carolina at Pains Bay, which is about 19 miles south of Manns Harbor, NC.

Lightning struck causing the wildfire to start Thursday, May 2, 2011. Since then, it has burned 45,294 acres. As of this posting, the fire is 80% contained, but is still producing prolific smoke that can reduce visibilities below a mile in that part of North Carolina along US Highways 264 and 64. The Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge is one of the threatened areas from the wildfire.


You can track this, and other fires in the U.S., by clicking here for updates.
--Meteorologist Carrie Rose