ROANOKE, Va. – In the past week, we’ve been warmer than Phoenix, Arizona. That all changes starting New Year’s Eve, with temperatures more typical for this time of year. Highs will be in the 40s in the NRV and Highlands and 50s elsewhere by the afternoon.
The wind, as it’s been since yesterday, will be noticeable throughout the day.
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Wind speeds of 10-20 mph with higher gusts will hold true through much of New Year’s Day in fact. That will add a little extra nip to the air, as we ring in the New Year. Temperatures at midnight will be around 35-40°, falling into the low to mid 30s by Wednesday morning.
When you factor in the wind with the cold, it will feel like the 20s west of the Parkway and even teens on some higher ridges early Wednesday morning.
We’ll warm up later this week, but we’ll also tap into some moisture as well. Clouds increase with rain chances increasing west of the Parkway into Thursday evening.
As the system draws closer, we’ll see on and off showers develop throughout the day Friday. Temperatures in the afternoon will actually be around 55-60°, despite the chance for showers.
As the system passes, wrap-moisture may give us some additional showers Saturday. Colder air then begins to get drawn into the area, changing things over to snow in the mountains. Any chance of accumulation Saturday night into Sunday will be confined to areas like Whitetop, Mountain Lake, Snowshoe and perhaps Burkes Garden and the Blue Grass Valley.
A few flurries or bursts of snow may make it into parts of the NRV, Southern Shenandoah and Roanoke Valley Saturday night, but we don’t expect any accumulation out of that. Regardless, we’ll be very cold and windy through Sunday.