ROANOKE, Va. – Thursday Noon Update
The Weather Authority Alert Day issued for Jan. 15 through Jan. 17 due to a wintry weather mix across Southwest and Central Virginia has been lifted.
Wednesday 7 a.m. Update
Wednesday 3 a.m. Update
The snow has left for the time being, but now the brutally cold air has settled in. Wind Chill Advisories are in effect through midday Wednesday.
Despite sunshine, there won’t be much relief from the cold Wednesday afternoon.
We’ll drop into the teens, though the wind will be calmer, Thursday morning.
Thursday night into Friday, another weak wintry system will come into the area. There’s the possibility for a light wintry mix south of US 460 early in the morning.
Most any snow by the afternoon will be scattered and north of US 460. This is our first stab at snow totals, though it is subject to change.
One thing is certain. Another blast of Arctic air will make its presence felt this weekend. Wind chills will stay in the single digits all day Saturday. Low temperatures Sunday drop into the single digits and teens, as the wind calms.
Tuesday 11 p.m. Update
Watch an update from Chief Meteorologist Jeff Haniewich above.
Tuesday 7 p.m. Update
Tuesday 5 p.m. Update
Tuesday 12 p.m. update
At noon, meteorologist Parker Beasley provided an update on winter weather conditions and what you can expect for later this afternoon as temperatures drop.
If you missed it, you can watch it below:
Tuesday 7 a.m. update
At about 7 a.m., meteorologist Chris Michaels provided an update on winter weather conditions and what you can expect for the remainder of the week.
If you missed it, you can watch it below:
Tuesday 2:30 a.m. Update
Scattered snow showers will continue mostly west of the Roanoke Valley through around 8 a.m. Tuesday. Aside from that, most neighborhood streets are snowed/iced over. Most main roads continue to be worked on. Be extra careful on bridges, sidewalks, porches, decks, driveways, parking lots, etc.
A Wind Chill Advisory is in effect for areas west of Lynchburg and Southside through Wednesday afternoon.
We’ll be windy and cold Tuesday, and there likely won’t be full-on sunshine. This means there won’t be much melting. The snow we have on the ground will be around for days.
Expect wind gusts to peak Tuesday between 25 and 35 mph.
Bitter, Arctic chill settles in Tuesday evening into Wednesday. Low temperatures plummet into the single digits and teens.
The wind chill will be below zero in some parts of the New River Valley and Highlands. This is not only potentially dangerously cold weather, but it will keep things slick in parts of the area through at least the Wednesday morning commute.
Another weaker system comes in Friday. This may lead to lighter snow accumulations during the afternoon and evening.
After that one, another blast of Arctic air comes in for the weekend. Highs Saturday will be in the 20s. Expect weekend lows in the single digits and teens.
If you’re sick of the cold already, there are signs of warmer days ahead in the long-range forecast.
Monday 11 p.m. Update
Watch an 11 p.m. update from Chief Meteorologist Jeff Haniewich above.
Monday 9 p.m. Update
Monday 7 p.m. Update
See photos of snow across the region here!
Monday 5 p.m. Update
Monday 4:15 p.m. Update
The amount of snow we’ve seen across southwest Virginia thus far has been fairly impressive in some areas. Cave Spring and Rural Retreat lead the way with 2.0 inches of snow in some spots.
With that said, there is certainly more snow on the way. Below is a look at the next 12 hours. Though the percentages drop overnight, there will still be opportunities to see on and off snow showers until sunrise tomorrow morning.
Once we get through all the snow, colder temperatures will move into the region. Over the course of Tuesday our temperatures will drop hour by hour thanks to arctic air entering the region. Late in the day is when the wind chill will become noticeable.
Tomorrow’s wind speeds start to pick up late in the morning. The pairing of cold air and wind will synchronize shortly after and bring a frigid feel to the outdoors. Stay warm out there!
8:30 a.m. Monday Update
We’ve seen a dusting across parts of the area, but it’s been enough to make some roads slick as of 8:30 a.m.
[RELATED: Here’s a collection of video updates of winter weather conditions]
Here’s a look at road conditions as seen straight from the Storm Chaser in Clifton Forge at about 8:35 a.m. Monday:
Some of your Pins show the light nature of the snow so far.
Beth Johnson
Snowy/icy roads in Fairlawn
That said, snow is forecast to pick up late morning into the afternoon.
It will taper off overnight, but some schedule changes appear likely for Tuesday morning.
[SCHOOL CHANGES will be posted and updated here.]
Monday Morning Update
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect now for areas along and west of Interstate 77. This is where snow totals could exceed 4″.
As we’re writing this at 3 a.m. Monday, snow is trying to make it down to the ground but the air is very dry. That will be a limiting factor at first.
However, late morning through the evening, we’ll see waves of mostly snow moving through the area. In this update, we’ll break things down for you zone-by-zone.
We’ll start west to east.
In the New River Valley, there will be waves of snow during the day. The best chance to see a couple inches or more will be near and north of I-81. This will lead to slick conditions through Tuesday morning.
In the Highlands, most of the snow we see will be during the second half of the day (though some light snow showers in the morning cannot be ruled out). The best chance to see a couple inches of snow or more appears to be near and west of Covington.
In the Roanoke Valley, we’ll see a couple periods of snow. The air is dry at first, but later in the day things will moisten up. Our range is a coating to two inches. This is to take into account elevation differences within the Valley.
In Lynchburg, we expect a coating to two inches as well. You’ll see a few different waves of snow throughout the day. Most of it comes to an end by 8 to 10 p.m.
In Southside, there may be more of a rain/snow mix at times near and south of Highway 58. This is where we see the least amount of snow in the area. That said, roads may still become slick as temperatures dip below freezing at night.
Sunday Afternoon Update
Read below for an update on the timing of this storm system.
As for how much snow we expect, we expect some shoveling in the mountains with totals lowering the farther east you go. If the Roanoke Valley gets 1″ of snow, it will be the first time we’ve seen that in almost two years (to the date).
Whatever falls will likely stick to the roads into Monday night. This is especially as temperatures drop into the 20s, so school delays/closings may happen Tuesday after the MLK holiday.
Brutal winter chill settles in Wednesday morning, making for some of the coldest air we’ve felt since Christmas 2022.
Sunday Morning Update
Our next system brings snow and particularly cold temperatures from Monday to Wednesday of this week.
Monday starts calm with snow in the afternoon. Snow continues on Tuesday with ice possible, and frigid temperatures move in Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday.
Monday’s snow begins in the early afternoon with wide coverage in the evening. Snow even continues through the night into Tuesday.
Tuesday changes us from snow in the morning to extra cold in the afternoon. Highs occur early in the day with consistent cooling into the teens.
Be ready for snow to cover the roads by Tuesday morning: go slow over any covered streets in case of ice beneath the snow. Some school delays are possible on Tuesday in particular, and you might even have to shovel off your sidewalk or driveway.
Snow holds off until the early afternoon on Monday. Snow starts light as it moves from southwest to northeast.
Snow is widespread in the late afternoon and evening. Snowfall rates are rather steady through the night, but southern counties begin to dry out before northern ones do.
Some snow can even turn to showers as warmer air works north during the night. This is unusual for these kinds of system but since the low-pressure center is well to our south we get warm air later than usual.
By sunrise on Tuesday snow moves further and further north. Snow turns less consistent by 7:00 p.m., and most of us are dry before noon.
Road conditions are rather good early on Monday but get progressively worse as the snow spreads northeast. Tuesday morning is when most of our snow is done, but it will take time for the snow to be cleared. Some sunshine in the middle of the day could help melt but colder air coming after the snow keeps the snow around for many.
Temperatures begin to fall as soon as the snow lets up. We only reach the 20s for Tuesday afternoon with lows in the teens by Wednesday morning. Cold air sticks around with highs in the 30s and lows back in the teens by Thursday morning.