Freeze warnings and cold overnight temperatures
ROANOKE, Va. – The Weather Authority is tracking a sharp dip in overnight temperatures across Southwest and Central Virginia. Freeze warnings are in effect for much of the area until about 9 a.m. Wednesday, with some spots under alerts through 10 a.m. This comes as clear skies are allowing the mercury to slide into the lower 30s and even upper 20s by early morning. If you’ve started your spring planting, 10 News’s meteorologist Edward Shaw recommends covering your plants tonight and tomorrow night, as freezing conditions are likely to affect many neighborhoods.
Here’s a look at the expected low temperatures overnight:
- Roanoke: 32
- Covington: 27
- Lynchburg: 31
- Blacksburg: 28
- Rocky Mount: 33
These chilly readings are set to cap off a stretch of mostly clear weather that has already brought some areas into the 30s late Tuesday night, as displayed on 10 News graphics during the forecast.
Major warmup expected late week into the weekend
The good news? A noticeable warming trend is expected as the week progresses, with springtime sun taking charge. 10 News’s meteorologist Edward Shaw forecasts highs rebounding into the mid 60s by Thursday, climbing to a balmy 76 degrees by Friday. The warmup doesn’t stop there—temperatures are forecast to reach 79 on Saturday, with the potential for low 80s by Sunday and continuing into early next week. The 7-day outlook from the Weather Authority shows a steady rise from a high of 59 on Wednesday all the way to 85 by next Tuesday.
According to meteorologist Shaw, these temperatures will put the area back in line with seasonal averages and offer a taste of early summer. After a string of chilly days and nights, this coming stretch is some of the warmest air the region has seen so far this spring.
Mostly sunny skies with just a slim rain chance for Saturday
Sunshine is expected to prevail across the region for the next several days, with only one minor interruption. Thursday could see a little bit of lingering cloudiness from a system along the coast, though nothing significant is forecast. Saturday stands out as the only day with a notable chance of any precipitation—an isolated shower is possible as another system brings in some residual moisture, but most areas are expected to remain dry.
The 10 News 7-day forecast highlights “plenty of sunshine” through Tuesday, making for mostly pleasant weather as temperatures climb.
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