ROANOKE, Va. – Wintry chill is here, and it doesn't show any signs of stopping this coming week. Adding insult to injury, however, will be two back-to-back storm systems in our neck of the woods.Â
STORM SYSTEM #1
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Storm system number one begins to impact us late Monday into Tuesday. We'll notice more clouds Monday, with rain showers developing after the kids get off the bus. The most widespread rain we see will come after dark.
Some of this rain could wind up being pretty heavy come Monday night.
While we'd love to send this rain out west where they need it, it's ours. In fact, most of us get away with half an inch to an inch of rain. Higher totals will be possible toward Southside. This could cause minor flooding to the Dan River, though nothing like what we saw during Tropical Storm Michael.
For most of us, flash flooding won't be an issue, as it would take 2-4" of rain in a 6 hour span for that to happen. In Carroll, Floyd, Pulaski, Montgomery, Wythe, Bland and Giles Counties, it would only take 1-2" of rain. We'll be watching that area closely for perhaps some localized flooding.
STORM SYSTEM #2
Storm system number two is sort of a recent development. Once system #1 passes through, high pressure moves in by Wednesday, which gives us a break from any kind of precipitation.
By Thursday, however, this high pressure locks in some colder air while low pressure rides up the coast.Â
These two systems together give us the chance to see freezing rain in parts of the area, specifically west of the Blue Ridge, Thursday morning. There's one caveat to this. Temperatures may only be around freezing. In cases like this, the process of freezing releases heat and brings the temperatures back into the mid 30s. If it were in the low to mid 20s, all bets would be off.
All that mumbo jumbo means that an epic ice storm is likely not in the works. However, we'll be watching this system closely, as it could lend us a little more than just a cold rain by Thursday morning.