ROANOKE, Va. – Prior to Zeta’s arrival, the weather will be fairly calm around the area. We start Tuesday with a Dense Fog Advisory for Lynchburg and Southside until 10 a.m. Make sure to take your time, leave enough room between you and the car in front of you and avoid using your high beams.
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Temperatures Tuesday will be similar to what they were Monday, as we reach into the upper 60s and lower 70s.
We’ll be warmer Wednesday, with Zeta making landfall along the Gulf Coast during the evening. Rain will begin in our area as soon as Wednesday night and will linger into Thursday. Some pockets may be heavy, but we don’t expect any strong winds at this time.
Where Zeta differs from the six previous storms we’ve dealt with is that it will be moving quickly. This means high wind gusts will be a threat between Noon and 6 p.m. Thursday, in addition to tropical downpours. The greater chance of gusts 40 mph or higher will be along and east of the Blue Ridge Parkway. (A slight wobble in the track of the storm could change that.) Localized flooding will be possible, given the tropical nature of the rain.
As we head into the afternoon, we’ll not only monitor the threat for strong wind gusts and heavy rain but the threat for a tornado or two east of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Turning winds around a tropical system make that a possibility (not necessarily a guarantee).
Once Zeta moves to the east, the wind will stay strong through Friday even though much of the day will be dry. Temperatures drop during the day in anticipation of a cool Halloween. Highs will only be in the 50s Saturday after morning temperatures start in the 30s.