Snowstorm exits tonight; impacts linger next several days

Re-freezing the main concern next few mornings

ROANOKE, Va. – Many parts of the area eclipsed the one-foot mark Sunday, setting records for snowiest December storm in many localities. 

As the storm exits Sunday night, impacts still linger through the next few mornings. That's especially the case as temperatures drop each night.

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Snow Melt

Thanks to some sunshine breaking out in areas north of Southside Monday, we'll start to see a little bit of melting. Tuesday and Wednesday should continue that process. However, it's not going to be as quick as you see during March snowstorms. 

That's because the sun angle is so much lower this time of year, meaning there's less direct sunlight to melt the snow efficiently. 

Snow Reflection

Snow reflects 90% of incoming sunlight, meaning that there will be a tremendous amount of glare. Make sure to wear sunglasses, especially while driving around. While the kids are playing in the snow, they should do the same. 

At night, there's still a large chunk of radiation being sent back into the atmosphere. Under a clear sky Monday night, some of us may drop into the single digits and teens. This will make re-freezing an even bigger issue by Tuesday morning. 

Low Temperatures at Night

Even Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, temperatures will drop off into the teens. Some re-freezing will be possible then too. We don't start to thaw out until later in the week, when our next rainmaker moves in.

Make sure to stay tuned for updates these next few days. Even though the system is leaving, we'll be tracking the remnant impacts in the days ahead. 


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.