Monday, October 31, 2011

A few light rain showers clip our area this afternoon as a weak disturbance crosses the Ohio Valley, eastbound. Otherwise today will be mostly cloudy with temps in the low 50s. Leftover sprinkles & a few light flurries (in the higher terrain) may dampen some of the festivities this evening. But don't let that dampen your spirits!! Clearing skies and temps falling to right around freezing will set us up for a dense foggy night. Anyone brave enough to stay up late may not be sure whether it's fog building up outside, or something else...Some frost is also possible in a few isolated areas by Tuesday morning, with temps below average for this time of year.

For the rest of this week...high pressure will keep Tuesday & Wednesday dry & mainly sunny with highs in the upper 50s & 60s. Tuesday night will be chilly & foggy with lows in the mid 30s. Then lows for the rest of the week will stay in the low/mid 40s.

Another round of showers is timed for Thursday night/Friday. Some cooler temps are on tap for this period but they expected to stay well above freezing. Then high pressure will return to keep our weekend weather pleasant with highs in the mid 60s!

Friday, October 28, 2011

: ****WINTER STORM WATCH/WEATHER ADVISORY****

Deep low pressure lifting northeast into our area is expected to bring rain showers initially into our area this evening. Then as temperatures drop into the low 30s with sunset, a changeover to snow is expected just before midnight. Heavy accumulations are possible for some of our mountain counties & along the eastern panhandle. Up to 10 inches of snow is possible along some of the ridgetops. In addtion, with surface temps so close to freezing this makes for a very wet snow. These conditions could easily lead to downed trees and power outages Friday night & Saturday. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning (purple bondary) in effect until 10 AM Saturday for areas that will likely be effected by this system. There is also a Winter Weather Advisory (blue boundary) in effect for much of the surrounding area as points west of I-79 will stay on the western fringe of this system.

2-4 inches of snow are expected foe Morgantown & suorunding areas by Saturday evening. The system will exit to the northeast late Saturday & dump significant amounts of snow along the way. High pressure will gain control over the our area for the rest of the weekend. Temps for the most part will range from the low 30s into the low 50s into Monday. Some light rain will skirt the area Monday into Monday night.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Slow-moving rain showers and a few rumbles of thunder effect mainly our northern zones ahead of a strong cold front today. Some water problems may result along low-lying & poorly drained areas...Warm air ahead of the front keeps temperatures in the 60s this afternoon. Tonight, we'll keep a few scattered rain showers, some gusty winds, patchy fog & lows near 50. And for Thursday, we'll keep breezy conditions & scattered rain showers as that frontal boundary crosses our forecast area. We'll also see the bottom fall out of our temperature trend during the day as lots of cold air will be mixing in no a northwest flow aloft. Our high for Thursday will only reach the low 50s and that will be in the morning.  Look for temps to fall into the low 30s by Thursday night. Frost/freeze warnings will likely be needed. At the very least, we'll see widespread fog Thursday night. Then a changeover to wet snow with minimal accumulation is expected Thursday night/Friday.

Things will start to dry out by Friday morning as that low pressure departs. High pressure will build in briefly with some sunshine but we'll keep the chilly temperatures to round out the week. Lows will fall into the low 30s with some higher locations seeing lows in the upper 20s! And highs will only reach the low 50s. Another disturbance will graze our northern zones Saturday/Saturday night. Then high pressure will return to keep Sunday dry...We may see some rain showers for Halloween, but watch for updates as new info comes in.

Look at how cold it will get this week!!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

High pressure keeps us dry today! Lots of sunshine & southerly winds put highs in the upper 60s, setting us up for a nice fall afternoon. But moisture ahead of the next frontal system will begin to seep into our northwestern zones tonight. This will keep much of the forecast area well insulated during the overnight hours. As a result, temps will stay mild tonight with lows in the upper 40s.

Wednesday will be mostly cloudy with highs in the mid to upper 60s. Sparse rain showers are expected for our westernmost zones during the day. Then a more potent wave will sweep across the entire forecast area Wednesday night bringing gusty winds, the chance for a few rumbles of thunder & potential for briefly hazardous water situation for our western zones by Thursday morning. Then, as that system exits our area Thursday night, cold air behind the frontal boundary & northwest flow aloft will drop temps enough to see a changeover to a wet snow into Friday morning.

Our weather will quiet down during the day Friday to end the week on a dry note. But clearing skies & cold air lingering across our area will make for some chilly nights to round out the week. Skies will be partly to mostly sunny this weekend. But highs are only expected to reach the mid 50s with lows falling below freezing. Freeze/frost warnings are likely, so you may want to go ahead and put on some pants!

Today's image, courtesy of Unysis Weather shows all that cold air advecting into eastern US Thursday night!!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Warmer temps on tap this week, compered to this weekend..A weak cold front crossing the Ohio Valley arrives this afternoon from the northwest. With it, a few light rain showers effect mainly our northern & mountain counties into this evening. Lows tonight will fall into the low 40s across the lowlands with mid/upper 30s in the mountains. Tuesday, winds turn southwesterly and with mainly sunny skies, highs are expected to reach 67 degrees. But ya better enjoy it, because a well advertised sprawling trough will swing across the central US and across the east by Wednesday night. This system will bring more gusty winds & another hefty dose of rain into Thursday. Then cold air behind the front settle in to bring a changeover to wet snow and overnight lows below freezing in some spots. Weekend conditions will stay on the chilly side, so kids' costumes should include long sleeves...perhaps a mummy or a ninja or even a scarecrow with a flannel shirt are in order. You can leave the tutus & Taylor Lautner costumes in the bedroom!

Today's images, courtesy of Unysis Weather show a nice warm-up for Tuesday/Wednesday...And cooler air draped across Central & Eastern US by Friday

To check on the progress of today's weather, click on the  regional radar http://weather.unisys.com/radar/rcm_rad.php?image=rad&inv=0&t=l&region=at   and regional satellite imagery  http://aviationweather.gov/adds/satellite/displaySat.php?region=DTW&isingle=single&itype=vis

Have a nice week and thanks for reading!!

Friday, October 21, 2011

That deep low pressure system continues to lift northeastward into Quebec today. As a result, we have winds finally dying down and drizzle coming to an end...Except in the mountains, where scattered drizzle is still possible into this evening. Then tonight a changeover to snow will allow minimal accumulation along our highest ridgetops. A freeze watch is in effect through tonight for our southernmost territories. Elsewhere, lows will fall into the mid & upper 30s. High pressure will build into our area Saturday to keep the weekend weather pleasant. But with minimal cloud cover, Saturday night will be even colder with lows falling into the low/mid 30s. Lows in the upp 20s are possible in the mountains Saturday night...Sunday will kickoff a gradual warming trend, putting temps close to 70 into next week. But another weak disturbance will skirt mainly our northern zones Sunday night/Monday. Then a stronger trough will swing across central & eastern US to bring more unsettled weather to our area by Thursday. The long term forecast points towards another cold snap in time for the Halloween weekend. 


Today's images show that departing low pressure system lifting into Canada & some warm air finally lifting into our area Sunday into next week.

Thursday, October 20, 2011












Low pressure system over the Ohio Valley continues to lift northeastward in line with previous forecasts today. As a result, conditions stay breezy and chilly with a few light wrap around rain showers expected today & tonight. Temperatures west of Rich Mountain are currently ranging in the low to mid 40s while points east are seeing temps in the low/mid 50s. With the heavy cloud cover & plenty of cold air still mixing into our area, temps are not expected to recover much today. Lows will stay in the upper 30s/low 40s tonight. Meanwhile, winds gusting to 30 MPH in many places easily makes it feel more like temps are in the low/mid 30s today, tonight & into Friday.

Conditions will stay chilly & breezy as that deep low pressure system pulls further away tonight and Friday. We'll see some light scattered drizzle during the day Friday with a changeover to light snow in the highest terrain (Randolph, Pocahontas, Tucker & Preston Counties) early Friday morning and again Friday night. Thick, low-lying clouds will stay socked in into Saturday morning but the leftover precip will begin to wind down for most of the forecast area later in the day Friday. The only exception will be some light upslope drizzle/wintry precip in those higher locales.

High pressure will build into our area by Saturday morning. So expect gradually clearing skies, along with calming winds and more sunshine. Highs will reach the mid 50s Saturday. But the clear skies and lingering cold air will make for a few very cold nights Friday night and especially Saturday night. Temps will be closing in on freezing Saturday night with a good chance for a fairly widespread frost/freeze into Sunday morning.

Warmer air aided by a healthy dose of high pressure will bring moderating weekend temperatures. Expect rebounding temps with daytime highs in the low/mid 60s Sunday into next week....A weak disturbance will cross or area again Sunday night/Monday, with limited moisture. Then a stronger system is timed for Thursday of next week. Long term forecasts point to another cold snap for the Halloween weekend.




Think you're cold?? Well you're not the only one! Today's image, courtesy of Unysis Weather shows near freezing temps at the surface for nearly the entire continental US by Friday morning! Click to enlarge.

Here is a look at our regional radar... http://weather.unisys.com/radar/rcm_rad.php?image=rad&inv=0&t=l&region=at

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Low pressure progressing northward over the Ohio & Tennessee River Valleys allows for a strong front to sweep across our area today & tonight. A steep pressure gradient and strong convergence at the surface triggers strong, damaging winds this afternoon & evening. According to the Storm Prediction Center, there is a slight risk for severe thunderstorms across much of the forecast area into tonight. Further east, isolated supercells & possibly a tornado may form this evening into tonight. Stay tuned to local TV/radio for latest weather updates!

Warm air mixing finally shuts down behind the front and much cooler air will begin to filter in overnight. As a result we'll keep elevated risk for potentially damaging winds tonight & Thursday. Wrap around moisture will also trigger light rain showers, especially along our western slopes into tonight. Enough cold air will be mixing in to allow for a changeover to snow in the higher terrain tonight. But we are only expecting a light dusting of snow for those locations above 3300 feet into Thursday morning. Elsewhere lows will fall into the low/mid 40s and winds will stay breezy enough to prevent widespread fog development.

The storyline for Thursday will definitely be the strong winds and cold air advection. Gusts are expected to reach 35 MPH across much of the forecast area & up to 45 MPH in the higher terrain. Our area's NWS forecast office may need to hoist the wind advisory Thursday. Still expecting limited snowfall to occur Thursday morning and again by Friday morning. But by then, the departing system will not have much available moisture to work with...so accumulations will be in the order of 1 inch above 3300 feet. Rainfall totals are also expected to reach 1 inch before things start drying out late Friday... 

Mainly cloudy skies & lots of cold air will linger over much of the eastern US Friday. Highs are expected to only reach the low/mid 50s Thursday, Friday and Saturday. And with the breezy conditions, the wind chill will feel much, much colder. With clearing skies expected Friday & Saturday, lows Friday night & Saturday night will be closing in on freezing both nights.

The good news is that high pressure will have a strong foothold over the Mid Atlantic states by the weekend. So we can expect drier air, clearing skies & some sunshine for the weekend. Warmer air will gradually mix into the region by Sunday/Monday.


Click here for regional radar http://weather.unisys.com/radar/rcm_rad.php?image=rad&inv=0&t=cur&region=at

Images courtesy of SPC & HPC depict tornado threat into this evening & rainfall totals through Thursday...Click to enlarge!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

A weakening frontal boundary slowly presses eastward today as a warm front brings above average temps for this time of year. High level clouds & isolated sprinkles well ahead of the front now invading the northernmost portions of our forecast area but widespread measurable rainfall will be delayed until tonight/Wednesday. Thunder, hail & strong gusty winds are not out of the question tonight/Wednesday as plenty of warm air & moisture will be available Wednesday. But weakening dynamics along the frontal boundary lend to marginal chance for this to be realized. Still expecting round about an inch of new rainfall with potentially heavy downpours possible at times as this system combines with coastal low pressure lifting north along the Eastern Seaboard. Then cooler air on the backside of the front will bring chilly & breezy conditions with possible wind advisories into Thursday as the front passes. A few light raindrops linger into Friday/Friday night with highs reaching the mid 50s & lows falling into the low 40s/upper 30s. Will need to watch frost/freeze potential towards the end of the week. Snowfall chances will be very light and limited to the highest terrain. High pressure & sunshine will dry things out with mild temps by Saturday/Sunday.

Monday, October 17, 2011

     We manage one more quiet day today with lots of sunshine. Highs will reach the mid 60s this afternoon as a weak warm front lifts north into the region ahead of a strong cold front timed to bring more unsettled weather into a large portion of the US Tuesday through much of the work week.
     Skies will turn partly to mostly cloudy overnight with lows falling into the low/mid 40s. A few overnight sprinkles are not out of the question, especially north of RT 50 & west of I-79. Otherwise the forecast will stay generally dry & mild Tuesday morning.
     For Tuesday...Lots of warm air will be mixing into our area to put highs in the low 70s. But clouds will be on the increase Tuesday as that strong low pressure system progresses eastward. Scattered rain showers will dot our landscape initially in the west Tuesday morning. Then fragmented showers & thunderstorms are expected to fire across our region Tuesday afternoon & evening.
     By Wednesday...low pressure will get hung up over the Mid Atlantic states keeping overcast skies, widespread rain and much colder temperatures in the forecast through Friday. As much as an inch and a half of new rain is expected during this time period. The bottom will really fall out of our temperatures as well. Highs will only reach the low/mid 50s and lows are expected to fall into the upper 30s. Strong winds are also expected Wednesday and Thursday as that frontal system crosses our area. Some light snowfall, mixed precip and freeze/frost are also possible as that system departs by the end of the work week, especially in the higher terrain.
     Then by the weekend the forecast turns more tranquil with some sunshine and mild temperatures again....

Friday, October 14, 2011

Brisk & breezy this afternoon as drier air mixes in behind the cold front departing eastward. Highs today reach the low 60s but breezy conditions make it feel much cooler despite the sun/cloud mix. Overnight temps will fall into the mid 40s but breezy conditions will bring the wind chill down into the mid/upper 30s. High pressure will keep our weekend forecast dry & blustery tonight through much of the day Saturday. Otherwise, we'll see partly cloudy skies with temps reaching the low/mid 60s again. Another cool night is on tap Saturday night with lows in the mid 40s. Sunday will be warmer with some sun but then another weak disturbance brings rain Sunday night/Monday. I think we'll have ample opportunity to get out and enjoy some fall weather this weekend but long sleeves & a jacket are recommended. A stronger front will bring more unsettled weather Tuesday through Thursday. With that, we'll likely see more strong winds, some thunder along with a healthy dose of rain. On the backside of that system, cold air will set us up for snow/mixed precip especially in the mountains...more on that later! Have a great weekend and thanks for reading.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Conditions stay soggy & breezy with lingering light showers this afternoon as low pressure crosses our eastern mountains. Gradual clearing is expected this evening but a few passing clouds will still dot our overnight skies. Overnight, lows will fall into the low to mid 50s & patchy morning fog will build into our area by Thursday morning. Otherwise, Thursday will start on a dry note with a sun/cloud mix & temps reaching the low to mid 70s. But another cold front and upper level trough will swing across the Mid Atlantic states, bringing scattered showers & limited thunder late in the day Thursday. Then another disturbance will arrive by Friday to keep chance rain showers into late Friday night. High pressure will build into the area just in time to make for drier weather with typical fall-like conditions...So expect mainly sunny skies with temps topping out in the 60s. Nights will be cool and crispy with lows in the mid 40s this weekend. Another weak cold front will sag south from the Great Lakes to bring rain Sunday night/Monday. Stay tuned for updates on possible snowfall/mixed precip by Wednesday of next week...

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Increasing cloud cover and spotty rain showers are already creeping into southernmost parts of our forecast area today as deeper moisture lifts north. Temperatures are expected to reach the mid & upper 70s this afternoon despite the increasing cloud cover. Radar depicts spotty light showers across much of our area but odds are that a good deal of that is not actually reaching the ground. More widespread rain showers are expected to break out tonight. Generally cloudy skies and occasional showers are expected during the day Wednesday. A few showers & even a rumble of thunder are possible again on Thursday. Model guidance shows general agreement on much of the heaviest rainfall occurring in our eastern slopes along the Potomac Highlands and into central Pennsylvania into the end of the work week. 


Daytime temps will range in the mid 60s to near 70. Nighttime temps will stay on the mild side with persistent cloud cover providing a fair amount of insulation. So lows will stay in the low to mid 50s. Overall, temps will be trending a few degrees cooler each day. Then a cold front and associated trough will progress eastward outta the Great Lakes Thursday night/Friday. We'll likely see some measurable precip from that system as well. Much of the forecast area will pick up around 1.5 inches. While points east will see rainfall amounts closer to 2 inches before things dry out sometime Friday.

Your typical Fall weather pattern will unfold this weekend. Things will be a bit breezy with the passing of that cold front. Friday & Saturday, daytime highs will only reach the low 60s. While overnight lows fall into the low to mid 40s. High pressure behind the front will bring clearing skies, lots of daytime sunshine & a few cool, crisp nights into the weekend...Have a great day & thanks for reading!

Monday, October 10, 2011

High pressure will exit to our northeast today as low pressure and deeper moisture slowly lifts north into the Mid Atlantic states tonight/Tuesday. We'll manage one more day of warm, tranquil weather with a few high level clouds & temperatures reaching the low 80s today. Then we'll turn to a more unsettled weather pattern with temps gradually cooling a few degrees each day through the end of the week. Spotty rain showers will spread from south to north on Tuesday. More widespread rain showers and an isolated rumble of thunder are expected on Wednesday. Looks like the Eastern Panhandle/DC/VA/MD will see a majority of the new rainfall through Thursday. A cold front will drop in Friday, putting highs in the mid 60s. We'll dry things out by the weekend. Have yourself a nice week & thanks for reading!

Today's image is of our 3 day rainfall totals

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

High pressure brings a welcome change from the dreary damp routine today! Just a few leftover low level clouds & bad memories are all that remain from that low pressure. Today we can expect increasing sunshine & highs reaching the low 70s. Our area will remain under the influence of high pressure through the rest of this week and & through the first part of next week. We'll even need to break out the sunscreen & summer wardrobe for the weekend as highs peak in the low to mid 80s!! But our nights will stay  chilly and clear with patchy fog by morning. Lows will fall into the mid to upper 40s/30s in the mountains. High pressure & upper level ridging will begin to break down by Wednesday of next week. So look for more cloud cover and chance for a few rain showers by Wednesday night/Thursday next week! Till then...be sure to soak up the sun!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Low pressure center exits to the east today but stubborn low level clouds are still apparent on satellite imagery eastern Ohio, West Virginia & Pennsylvania this morning. Forecast is already starting to dry out as the influence of that low pressure begins to diminish. Any precip will be light & limited to the mountains this afternoon. Temperatures are already beginning to rebound as that northwest flow diminishes as well. Temps are expected to reach the low/mid 60s today, then mid/upper 40s tonight. We can expect some patchy fog in the valleys & perhaps some frost in the higher elevations by Wednesday morning. Otherwise, our skies will start clearing nicely from west to east. Strong high pressure will begin to build into the area tonight & Wednesday allowing for upper level ridging to set up camp over much of the eastern half of the country through this weekend. As a result, we'll have plenty of sunshine with temps in the 70s-gradually trending into the low 80s by the weekend. Our weather will be sunny & dry as a bone by kickoff Saturday against UConn. This will make up for the dreary weather this past weekend. But the lack of cloud cover will allow for cool, clear nights (especially in the mountains) with chance for patchy dense fog each morning. The dry forecast will continue into the first half of next week.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Leftover low pressure from the weekend makes for a soggy & chilly start to the workweek. Overcast skies & northwest upper air flow will severely limit daytime heating today. Temperatures will only reach the mid 50s today. Lows tonight will fall into the upper 40s across much of the forecast area. That northwest flow aloft will keep light wrap around rain showers in the forecast, especially in the mountains throughout the day today and into Tuesday. Low pressure system will finally exit to the east Tuesday, allowing for gradual drying from west to east during the day Tuesday. High pressure will bring much more agreeable weather Wednesday through the rest of this week. Temperatures will gradually rebound with daytime highs reaching a few degrees warmer each day. Highs will reach the low 80s by the weekend with several solid days of sunshine providing some well-deserved relief!! Follow this link for the latest radar!! http://weather.unisys.com/radar/rad_us_loop.gif