SUNSET

Fall-like air continues across the region as astronomical fall begins in 17 days.

Pumpkin spice and sweater weather is here!

Summer is back! This means hot and humid air returns for the next several days with an increasing chances for showers and storms.

Summer is back! This means hot and humid air returns for the next several days with an increasing chances for showers and storms.

Why have we been so cool the past couple of mornings? Well, there are a couple of reasons, but one is radiational cooling!

We break down why we're seeing this standout pattern in the peak of summer.

The pattern has shifted! Here is how long Fall-like conditions stick around.

It’s officially that time of year when you can start to feel the daylight to be lasting just a little bit longer than usual.

Thank you for submitting your sunset photos through Pin It.

Say it isn’t so!

From damage left behind to ominous clouds, hail, and rainbows afterward, you captured it all

Storms produced everything from damage to ominous clouds to vibrant rainbows and sunsets this past Friday and Saturday

We get a brief break from the smoke Wednesday before it returns Thursday

You can have your pictures featured on air or online through Pin It!

Smoke filters out the sunlight, giving it a distinct orange and red appearance

Smoke scatters sunlight, leading to a red-orange sunrise and sunset in our area

ROANOKE, Va. – Many of you took note of the sunset Saturday evening and sent us some gorgeous pictures. Full Screen 1 / 24 Mark Matthews - WythevilleThis was all due to the clouds streaming in off Tropical Storm Beta. Satellite imagery from around sunset Saturday shows those clouds drifting off the storm. Satellite and radar imagery of Tropical Storm Beta from 9/19/2020These clouds were around airplane level. At this level, the air was so cold that the clouds were made primarily of ice crystals (cirrus clouds).

ROANOKE, Va. – As we wrote about Tuesday, smoke from the wildfires out west made its way to our sky. This, thankfully, has not had a negative impact on our health or air quality. It is, however, creating more haze in the sky and preventing us from heating up much. The smoke particles are also enough to block out a portion’s of the sun’s light, which creates for an eerie and odd-looking sunset. Several of your pictures in the gallery below show that.

ROANOKE, Va. – Saturday’s sunset was a huge, and I mean HUGE, letdown for many of us. The dust was there, but so was a wall of clouds. You spend a whole week forecasting dust. Then, a Cinderella story came out of nowhere to take them down. Below is the photo gallery we put together of all of your pictures, from the disappointment on Saturday to the excitement on Sunday.

ROANOKE, Va. – Be sure to send any pictures you get to Pin It or to our social media platforms. Outside of the possibility for slightly poorer air quality, this suppresses tropical development and can produce vibrant sunrises and sunsets. Tracking Sahara dust - Saturday morningThroughout the day Saturday, we’ll notice more haze high up in the sky thanks to an increased amount of dust thousands of feet above us. Tracking Sahara dust - Saturday eveningThe Saharan dust outlook for Sunday is entirely dependent on storms or cloud debris from storms to our north. What the "Omega block" means for our weatherThis kind of pattern may very well last into the 4th of July weekend.

ROANOKE, Va. – Make sure to send your sunrise and sunset pictures any time to Pin It! With that plume over the Gulf and Caribbean, that decreases our likelihood of a developing tropical system next week. The dust is just another group of particles that can add color to a sunrise or sunset. Forecast data indicates a plume of dust from the Sahara traveling toward the Caribbean and southern/southeastern U.S. next week. This could at least limit tropical development, but it could also make for very nice sunrises and sunsets.