ROANOKE, Va. – Winter weather alerts are in effect for Grayson County along with the western halves of Greenbrier, Pocahontas and Highland Counties.
A quick-hitting storm system is forecast to come through late Tuesday into Wednesday. This “Alberta Clipper” is synonymous with isolated rain showers, mostly mountain snow, an increase in wind and a drop in temperatures.
We start by seeing isolated rain showers late Tuesday afternoon into the evening. Some cold air above us could result in either tiny pieces of hail or graupel (soft hail).
As the air cools above us, snow will become more prominent above the 3,000-foot level Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
It is possible that we see streaky flurries and/or snow showers in parts of the New River Valley, Roanoke Valley and Highlands. Accumulations, if any, would be very light and very scattered.
That means you do not have to go raiding the bread, milk and toilet paper aisles!
[WATCH HERE: Our winter forecast re-airs Wednesday at 10 p.m.]
Aside from that four-letter ‘s’ word, we’ll be colder and windy at times heading into Wednesday. Wind gusts will peak between 25 and 35 mph, mainly serving to make things feel colder than what the thermometer indicates.
The wind calms Thursday, and temperatures rise Friday and Saturday.
This rise in temperatures comes ahead of a deepening storm system that will increase rain chances Saturday night and Sunday.
This has the chance to be a soaking rain, but we won’t know the exact times until forecast information becomes more defined Thursday and Friday.
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