ROANOKE, Va. – Monday started a pattern of windy afternoons, cloudy skies, isolated showers, mountain snow, and below average temperatures that continues right through Tuesday. Most factors you noticed at the start of the work week stick around through the middle of it.
Wind picks up to 20 mph with gusts to 30 mph rather consistently. Winds can climb slightly higher on Wednesday, but for most the pattern holds.
Showers are concentrated north much of Tuesday. Some of the wet weather sinks further south in the late afternoon and early evening, but today is pretty dry,
Showers spread out more on Wednesday while staying light. Accumulations stay to a few tenths of an inch. Showers spread further east into the relatively dry Lynchburg and Southside zones.
One consistent feature of the week that only affects a small but important area is the late season snowfall.
By the start of May snow is usually done, but cold air over the Great Lakes is lining up just right to keep wet weather around. The cooler mountain air allows the system to fall as snow, and since it’s so consistent that snow can build to a number of inches for the weeklong total.
Temperatures start improving Thursday and continue through the week ahead. As our pattern changes cold air has a hard time reaching us. Highs are close to average for the end of the week and above average as we start the next.