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Ending fall on a chilly, but sunny note

We’re saying goodbye to autumn with temperatures more suited for winter

Forecast highs compared to average - Monday (Copyright 2021 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.)

ROANOKE, Va. – After a busy weekend of weather, the only weather story to start the new week is the chill. It’s cold out there!

Temperatures are running 20 to 35 degrees colder than Sunday morning and we won’t see much of a warm-up by afternoon.

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Look for highs in the 40s across the region. If there is a little bit of good news in the forecast, it’s that we’ll have plenty of sunshine all day long.

Monday planner (Copyright 2021 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.)

Today is the final full day of fall and winter will officially arrive at 10:58 a.m. Tuesday.

The first day of the new season will be slightly warmer and also cloudier. I believe most of us stay dry as a storm system sends rain to the Carolinas and Georgia.

Future Tracker - Tuesday 3 p.m. (Copyright 2021 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.)

A cold front clears out the clouds and provides sunshine for Wednesday and Thursday. We also expect a cool-down by that timeframe, but it won’t last long!

Temperatures will skyrocket by Christmas Eve and Day. You can thank a large ridge of high pressure to the south for the comfortable air.

Upper air pattern - Saturday (Copyright 2021 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.)

The oranges and reds on the map above indicate temperatures WELL above-average. We’re running about 10 to 15 degrees above-average by the holiday on Saturday.

In fact, if our current forecast verifies, this Christmas would fall in the top 10 for warmest on record. In case you’re wondering, Christmas 1982 is the record holder with a high of 68 degrees in Roanoke.

Warm Christmas forecast (Copyright 2021 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.)

Early data suggests another cool-down by the second half of the holiday weekend.