ROANOKE, Va. – May 2020 has been one of the coolest on record so far, but that is about to change in the coming days. We’re north of a warm front Wednesday placing us on the cool and mostly cloudy side of things. The air will likely rise more toward the New River Valley, offering the shot for a few light showers at any given time.
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As our warm front lifts north, a few early morning showers will be possible near and north of I-64 on Thursday. By Thursday, we’re on the warmer side of the front with high temperatures in the 70s. Even still, a few spotty showers and storms will become possible after 2 p.m. One or two may drift east of the Parkway late in the afternoon and/or early in the evening.
And so begins our transition to a very summer-like pattern over the weekend. We’ll be positioned just south of our frontal system, meaning we’ll stay warm with highs in the low to mid 80s each day. However, that front being nearby will spark scattered showers and storms each afternoon.
Speaking of summer, even the tropics are starting to gain some steam. The National Hurricane Center has placed 70% odds on our first named storm of the season developing off the East Coast over the weekend. (If it gets a name, it would be ‘Arthur.’)
If this comes closer to the coast, we’ll be seasonable (temperature-wise) and breezy next week. If it goes farther offshore, we’ll be downright hot next week.
Once it does move away from the East Coast, a large dome of high pressure will take over the eastern U.S. This means summer-like heat is likely through Memorial Day weekend.
All that said, it’s safe to say we’re turning a corner toward more consistently warm weather after Wednesday.