WATCH: Live weather reports all Thursday long from across the region
ROANOKE, Va. โ As this winter storm continues to move through our region, weโll keep you updated on conditions across the region. 11:03 p.m. update with Shayne Dwyer in the New River Valley8:26 p.m. update with Shayne Dwyer in the Roanoke CountyShayne Dwyer WSLS 10 News has a winter weather update from Roanoke County. Posted by WSLS 10 / WSLS.com on Thursday, February 18, 20217:10 p.m. update with Tim Harfmann in AltavistaTim Harfmann WSLS 10 News is live in Altavista and wraps up the dayโs weather coverage in Central Virginia. Posted by WSLS 10 / WSLS.com on Thursday, February 18, 20216:17 p.m. update with Lindsey Kennett in Pulaski CountyPulaski County weather update Lindsey Kennett WSLS 10 News is in Pulaski County with an update on the conditions there right now. Posted by WSLS 10 / WSLS.com on Thursday, February 18, 20214:31 p.m. update with Alexus Davila in the Bent Mountain area of Roanoke CountyBent Mountain weather Alexus Davila WSLS 10 News is in Bent Mountain giving an update of what the weather is like there.
Powerful storm produces snow, hurricane-force gusts; wildfires rage out west
For parts of the Rockies and Intermountain West, a powerful storm system flipped that upside down. A lone bison stands as a storm packing high winds and snow sweeps through the intermountain West Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in Evergreen, Colo. Estimated snow totals reported by various National Weather Service officesWe received this photo of snow near Lander, Wyoming from Keith Trouwborst. Damaging Wind GustsThe wind around this bowling ball of a storm system was powerful at times as well, even for those who werent getting snow. As the wind screamed down the mountains toward Utah, wind gusts ranged from 50-100 mph.
Short heat wave continues prior to local impacts from Laura
ROANOKE, Va. โ Hurricane Laura is in the process of rapid intensification, as it moves through very warm Gulf waters. Tropical tracker for the next few days - LauraFor us, this will mean rain and storms Saturday. Isolated higher totals cannot be ruled out, especially if we get a southeast wind around Laura to move up our mountains. Laura weakens but brings rain and storms to us SaturdayThe main thing weโll watch out for is localized flooding. It will be breezy at times, but weโll notice humidity levels tumble behind the storm.
Laura strengthens into a hurricane; could hit Gulf Coast as Cat. 3
Following the landfall of Tropical Storm Marco at the mouth of the Mississippi River Monday evening, another tropical system is bearing down on the Gulf Coast and this one is likely to be stronger. Hurricane hunters confirmed Tuesday morning that Lauras winds had strengthened to 75 mph as it churns in the Gulf of Mexico. Tuesday morning's tropical satellite (WSLS)The same areas that were just under tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings as Marco approached are under the gun from Laura. Tropical storm and hurricane watches have already been posted for southeast Texas and most of the Louisiana coastline. The storm will continue into Arkansas as a tropical storm or depression before taking a hard right towards the East Coast Friday.
Well thatโs one way to describe how big a hailstone is...
One storm moved through Jones County, dropping large hail near Jeffery Craigโs home in the Tuckers Crossing community. Storm Reports (3/4/2020) (WSLS)Yes, he used a McDonaldโs sauce packet! Jeffery, by chance could you measure the length of that sauce packet? โ NWS Jackson MS (@NWSJacksonMS) March 4, 2020Jeffery responded that the sauce packet measured 2.375 inches, so the NWS meteorologists concluded that the hailstone was close to tennis-ball sized, about 2.5 inches. While this is a hilarious way to send in a storm report, we suggest you use the typical objects to measure hail size the next time we see any in southwest Virginia.