ROANOKE, Va. – Monday Afternoon Update
Weather Authority Alert Day has been cleared.
A Weather Authority Alert Day has been issued for Sunday and Monday for dangerous wind chills that will enter the area following an arctic front.
This Weather Authority Alert Day is strictly for Wind Chill numbers, not snowfall.
Monday Morning Update
A bone-chilling cold continues for the rest of the morning across Southwest Virginia. Wind chill values are between negative 20 and positive 15 degrees. However, conditions will improve through the day.
The real feel gets closer to the actual temperature this afternoon!
The reason? The wind slowly tapers off! Winds go from gusting between 10 and 20mph to the single digits.
Afternoon highs warm into the mid and upper 30s.
Sunday Evening Update
It is absolutely frigid out there.
Temperatures currently reside in the single digits and teens, with wind chill values below zero.
This bitter cold continues overnight tonight and into tomorrow, where we’ll have to wait until the afternoon to get above 32 degrees.
MUCH warmer conditions arrive later this week!
Sunday Morning Update:
This morning, we are currently seeing the warmest temperatures that will occur today. As we approach the evening hours, we are going to drop down to below freezing temperatures, and the wind chill will become more intense.
Currently, a few snowflakes are being spotted throughout the region. That said, most will not see any accumulation. If they do, it will be a dusting, with the exception of Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties, which are under a Winter Weather Advisory. They can expect to see up to 2-4 inches.
As temperatures start to drop and wind gusts pick up, our wind chill temperatures will enter dangerous territory. New River Valley and the Highlands will be the first areas to see those temperatures go below zero.
By 5 p.m. this evening, a majority of the region will be in the negatives for their wind chill temperature; others will be in the single digits.
These wind chill temperatures will fluctuate throughout the night and will calm down late Monday morning.
Comparing the actual temperatures to the wind chill, the added wind makes the “feels like” temperature about 15 degrees colder. These brutal wind chills will last throughout the entirety of tonight and will calm down by late morning tomorrow.
Make sure to bundle up today, as these conditions can cause frostbite as well as hypothermia if skin is exposed in as little as 30 minutes. Stay warm!
Saturday Evening Update:
That arctic front has passed through the area, which means our temperatures are about to go into an absolute nosedive.
Winds will steadily increase tomorrow throughout the entirety of the day, as cold air rushes into the region. A vast majority of our viewing area will be experiencing conditions that feel like single digits, if not values in the negatives.
That cold air will last throughout the day, with no sign of significant warming until Tuesday. Part of the reason these wind chills will be so low, is due to wind gusts between 25-30 MPH.
After this cold air exits, we’re looking at a significant warmup into the 50s by the end of the week. So that’s something good I guess.
Saturday Morning Update:
This afternoon, a cold front will push through the region, giving us blustery conditions.
Right behind the front, wind gusts will pick up and get into the 20 - 30 mph range early tomorrow. These winds will result in very bitter wind chill temperatures.
By dinner time on Sunday, the wind chill will be below zero across much of the region. That said, even if your area does not reach the negatives, temperatures will still be brutal.
This will last through the night and into Monday morning.
Monday morning, the wind chill will still be dangerously cold, but will slowly start to warm up. Once we get into late morning, the wind chill will be into a more normal range, but still cold nonetheless.
It is very important to be prepared for these frigid conditions. When skin is exposed to intense wind chills, you run the risk of frostbite as well as hypothermia; so make sure you are bundled up!
Friday Night Update:
As these temperatures plummet in the wake of Sunday’s arctic front, they will reach dangerously cold levels. The frigid pattern sticks around for the next few days.
Because of the timing of this cold front, we will reach our high temperatures late Sunday morning rather than in the afternoon.
Wind Chill values on Sunday afternoon will quickly fall either into the single digits or below zero as wind gusts reach up to 35 MPH. These will be dangerously cold conditions, not just Sunday afternoon, but into the overnight and early Monday morning hours.
As you are headed out the door Monday morning for work or school, you’ll need to bundle up and stay indoors as much as possible! Feels-Like temperatures at 7 AM on Monday will either fall into the single digits or just below zero.
Low temperatures will fall into the teens Sunday night, but will feel much colder due to the increase in wind speed. Our temperatures will make a slight rebound around mid to late week next week and be a bit more seasonal.
These temperatures are dangerous to be outside in for any length of time if not in the proper gear. Car breakdowns and accidents become even more dangerous with these conditions as well.
It is very important to have an emergency kit on hand for the extreme cold. Be sure to keep these things on hand in your vehicle if traveling during this time!