Weather! Autumn arrives, summer reluctant to leave

11:09pm Eastern Daylight Time will mark the Autumnal Equinox, when the sun crosses the equator and marks the beginning of the fall season. Meteorologists actually marked the beginning of fall on September 1, but it’s of statistical, not astronomical, significance. The tropics are quieting down somewhat, with Tropical Storm Lisa, about 500 miles west of […]

September 22, 2010; 8:03 AM • by Weather Dan

11:09pm Eastern Daylight Time will mark the Autumnal Equinox, when the sun crosses the equator and marks the beginning of the fall season. Meteorologists actually marked the beginning of fall on September 1, but it’s of statistical, not astronomical, significance.

The tropics are quieting down somewhat, with Tropical Storm Lisa, about 500 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands, as the only active tropical cyclone in the Atlantic. A region located west of the Windward Islands is being monitored for development, and is currently given a 50% chance of development into a tropical system over the next 48 hours.

The long-range models are giving a good indication that our warm, dry pattern is going to come to an end early next week – perhaps even sooner for the western parts of Virginia. We’ll still have summer-like heat through Saturday, but there are some pretty good indications of a break beginning Sunday and Monday. I’m hoping we can finally make a dent in the drought; coincidentally, our annual rainfall deficit hit the 10” mark on Tuesday.

(It will be nice to finally get some variation out here in Blacksburg; I’ve got a “photo journal” assignment for one of my classes that requires a photo a week of a different weather phenomenon. When the weather every day is being dictated by high pressure and dry airmasses, there’s only so many phenomena I can get pictures of!)

Summer, however, is not going quietly. High pressure situated near the coast means winds out of the southwest for Wednesday. They will bring more of that wonderfully hot, dry weather that’s been the story over the last several weeks. Plan on highs in the low 90s under partly cloudy skies, and overnight lows in the mid 60s.

Ready for more of the same on Thursday? I don’t blame you; I’d be tired of it by now, too. There will be plenty of similarities to Wednesday; another day of highs in the low 90s, some occasional clouds, and lows again in the mid 60s by Friday morning.

As for this weekend, like I mentioned, the real relief won’t be here until Sunday or Monday. Friday, however, looks like a scorcher, as temperatures climb into the mid 90s. Richmond hasn’t hit 95 since September 1, though if the current setup remains intact (and I see very little reason why it shouldn’t), we just may see 95 then. Temperatures cool through the 80s and into the 70s by the time Sunday rolls around, with the possibility for some precipitation finally creeping into the picture. I’ll have a full update, including my forecast for this weekend’s Cavaliers and Spiders games, on Friday.

September 22, 2010 8:03 AM 0