A Hard Freeze Will Occur Overnight Into This Morning In Mountain Valleys. Increasing Winds Along Upper Elevation Mountain Ridges Will Mix Downward Onto Middle Elevation Ridges-Plateaus Toward Morning With Little To No Frost Expected
A wintry cold period is expected from Thursday Night into this weekend, with potential for snow accumulation along the upslope side of the mountains with respect to NW-N air flow. Significant snow accumulations will be possible at the highest elevations.
Overnight Into This Morning
Unseasonably cold. A large vertical temperature spread developing between frosty valleys and milder but windy middle-upper elevation mountain ridges. ESE-SSE winds increasing into the overnight-morning to 5-15 mph, with higher gusts, on middle elevation ridges-plateaus below 2700 feet. Winds S-SW at 10-20 mph, with higher gusts, along upper elevation mountain ridges. Temperatures in the 30s, or rising into the 30s following any evening drops, along exposed middle-upper elevation mountain ridges and plateaus. Temps falling through the 20s within mountain valleys. Wind chills in the 20s on upper elevation ridges.
This Afternoon
Increasing clouds. Milder & windy. Chance of a shower by late. SSE-SSW winds 10-20 mph, with higher gusts, along middle elevation ridges-plateaus below 2700 feet. Winds SSW at 15-25 mph, with higher gusts, on mountain ridges above 2700 feet. Temperatures varying from 40s to around 50 degrees in upper elevations to the middle 50s to low-mid 60s ( 55-60 degrees in Norton-Wise ).
Tonight Into Thursday Morning
Rain with a chance for thunder. Locally heavy rainfall. Winds SSW-W at 10-25 mph, with higher gusts, decreasing some toward morning. Temperatures dropping into the 40s, with 30s at highest elevations into morning.
Weather Discussion ( April 5-6 )
A unseasonably cold air mass Tuesday featured morning MINS that varied from around 20 degrees at the summit level of the High Knob Massif to around 30 degrees amid valleys in lower elevations to the north ( a little milder conditions were reported south toward the Tri-Cities ).
Scenic & Patriotic Setting In Town Of Clintwood – Afternoon of April 5, 2016
A gorgeous afternoon featured beautifully blue, cloud-free skies with temperatures reaching low-mid 40s in Norton-Wise and the upper 40s in Clintwood.
Nora 4 SSE – NWS Site In Middle Elevations ( Elevation 2650 feet )
The setting tonight features temperatures falling through the 20s in colder mountain valleys ( 28 degrees at Clintwood 1 W as of Midnight ) as highest ridges become increasingly windy with near steady to rising temperatures.
An increasing vertical temperature spread between colder valleys and milder ridges will develop overnight into this morning. The off-setting factor along upper elevation ridges being an increase in wind chill factors ( making it feel like 20s or colder in gusts ).
Black Mountain MesoNET Up To 12:15 AM Wednesday – April 6, 2016
Temperatures will rise dramatically into today as southerly winds increase and mix downward across the entire area, with downslope locations in the Russell-Levisa Fork basins likely rising into the 60s ( marking 40+ degree temperature rises between this morning and this afternoon ).
Rain chances will increase dramatically by late today into tonight as the next weather system approaches. A chance for lightning-thunder and locally heavy rainfall will exist during the Wednesday Night-Thursday AM period.
NAM 12 KM Model Total Precipitation Forecast To 8 AM Saturday – April 9, 2016
Precipitation totals could top 1.00″, with the final period of this forecast cycle, from Thursday Night into Friday Night, featuring increasingly cold air and the chance for snow at higher elevations ( with snow levels dropping over time into middle elevations by late Friday Night into Saturday Morning ).
GFS Model Total Precipitation Forecast To 8 AM Saturday – April 9, 2016
