September 2019 the hottest and driest on record for parts of the area

Hope of a soaking rain early next week

ROANOKE, Va. – This may not come as much of a surprise, but September 2019 was the driest September on record for Danville and the 5th driest on record for Lynchburg.

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It was also the hottest September on record in Blacksburg, 2nd hottest in Roanoke and 3rd hottest in Lynchburg.

What makes that most impressive is that data for Lynchburg goes back to the late 1800s and Danville back to 1916.

This has left most of the StormTeam 10 area in a moderate drought, which has also prompted numerous burn bans across the area. 

It's a huge difference from this time last year. September 2018 was incredibly wet, with 6-10" of rain falling over the area.

Then, Michael hit our area as a tropical storm in October.

October is traditionally the driest month of the year for most of the area too.

October starts exceptionally hot and dry this time around, but there is the potential for a more substantial rain to come early next week.

A cold front moves from west to east. Just how much moisture we can grab out of the Gulf of Mexico will determine how much rain we receive late next Monday and next Tuesday. 

Stay with us for updates.


About the Author:

Meteorologist Chris Michaels is an American Meteorological Society (AMS) Certified Broadcaster, forecasting weather conditions in southwest Virginia on WSLS 10 News from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. weekdays on Virginia Today.