SLEET

The worst of the weather Friday into Saturday will be east of Interstate 95.

Get the shovels and/or ice scrapers ready for Sunday and Monday morning

Significant snow totals and mixed precipitation produce messy road conditions and possible power outages

It's too soon to talk exact totals, but Sunday's weather looks disruptive across much of the area.

Less than two days after record warmth, accumulating snow is in the forecast Monday morning

A brief burst of snow and sleet is possible for parts of the area Wednesday morning

A pair of storm systems move through Monday and Wednesday

FutureTracker - 5 a.m. ThursdayWarmer air a few thousand feet above will move in from the southwest and make freezing rain the dominant precipitation type through at least midday Thursday. Assuming that freezing rain is the dominant precipitation type most of the day Thursday, here’s how to prepare for outages. Higher totals will be possible in areas hit hardest by Saturday’s storm, delaying recovery from both damage and power outages. Snow/sleet totals for late Wednesday night and Thursday morningKeep in mind this would come before any freezing rain. While this may not lead to power outages, it will certainly make for icy and messy travel.

ROANOKE, Va. – Watch the video below for Jeff’s 9;50 p.m. weather update:Jeff's 2.16.21 forecast update Winter storm watches are in effect from tomorrow evening through Thursday PM. High temperature forecast for Tuesday, 2/16/2021Next Winter StormCome late Wednesday night and Thursday, we’re tracking yet another wintry mess. High pressure to the north will keep cold air trapped at the surface, while a storm system rises from the south. FutureTracker - midnight ThursdayWe may start with just enough cold air above to create snow and sleet in areas near and north of US 460. By late Thursday night and Friday morning, our storm system will have moved to the northeast.

We’ll keep the clouds locked in (AGAIN) for the rest of the day Monday, with high temperatures locked in the upper 30s and lower 40s. Freezing rain will be possible on a spotty basis during the evening and up until about midnight. Wind speed and wind gust for Tuesday, 2/16/2021This might actually be enough to break the overcast for the first time in nearly a week! High pressure builds over the Northeast, while another storm system rises from the Gulf. Freezing rain and sleet are becoming increasingly likely Thursday, and it could once again be a significant storm for parts of the area.

While roads may improve a bit beyond the morning, we will still have to watch for slick spots throughout the day. TimingAs another storm system moves in from the south, this sets the stage for another round of freezing rain after 6 or 7 a.m. Saturday. AdFutureTracker - 10 a.m. SaturdayAs a southeast wind begins, we should start to see any freezing rain change to a chilly rain in parts of Grayson, Wythe, Carroll, Pulaski and Bland Counties by midday or early afternoon. Moving ForwardWe’ll start with slick/icy spots Valentine’s Day morning and temperatures near freezing. We’re once again looking at the chance for freezing rain and rain Tuesday morning.

FutureTracker - 2 p.m. ThursdayAs colder air seeps farther south, we gradually start to see things changing over. FutureTracker - 7 p.m. ThursdayAs the night wanes on, we’ll notice that wintry mix creep farther to the south. So, it will rain longest the farther south you go before changing over to some freezing rain and sleet. That’s where we expect mostly rain before changing over to freezing rain. Freezing rain potential increasing for Saturday, 2/13/2021We’ll be mostly dry and in the 40s Valentine’s Day, before another wintry mix potential arrives late Monday night into Tuesday of next week.

We won’t see weather like that for quite some time, as we’re stuck in quite the repetitive pattern moving forward. Snow is more likely in Pocahontas, Bath and Highland Counties, with an icy mix possible in Alleghany and Rockbridge Counties. If the temperature is 33° or above up top, then we see a mix of freezing rain and sleet develop. Snow map for Wednesday night through Friday morning as of Wednesday, 2/10/2021Farther south of that, you see less snow. AdStorm threats - Thursday (2/11) to Friday (2/12)The Pattern BeyondWe get a break Friday afternoon, but there are indications of another rain/freezing rain mix coming our way Saturday and perhaps next Tuesday as well.

Between 8 and 10 a.m., the precipitation will come to an end as drier air moves in from the west. The difference between this week and last week is that we’ve had warmer air and a little rain preceding this event. AdWind speed and gust forecast for Sunday, 2/7/2021We’re bone dry once the Super Bowl kicks off Sunday evening, with temperatures above freezing. If it’s farther northwest, that will pull in warmer air and keep things mainly as a cool rain later on. That would create more of a freezing rain threat.

The winter storm we’ve been forecasting is on top of us as we write up this article. The most snow accumulation will be from areas like Blacksburg, Roanoke and Lynchburg to the north. Snow accumulation forecast for Sunday 1/31/2021As snow accumulation drops farther south, the potential for ice goes up. That’s especially the case the closer you get to the North Carolina-Virginia line. That’s especially the case during the first half of the day.

“This initial wave that comes in will last for two to three hours, and the rate of snowfall will be 1 to briefly 2 inches per hour,” Kluber said. “So as far as snow totals go, we’re looking at the potential in the far northwest suburbs of 3 to 5 inches by mid-evening. At O’Hare we’re looking at 2 to 4 inches by the same time, and for the city as a whole, anywhere from 1 to 4 inches with the highest totals on the Northwest Side.”