Weather! Just two more days…

Just two more days. Summer’s not going quietly, but given what’s to come over the next two-ish weeks, summer will be done. Finally. Tropical Storm Matthew developed in the southern Caribbean Sea on Thursday, and is tracking towards the northern part of Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula. Keep an eye on Matthew over the […]

September 24, 2010; 12:04 PM • by Weather Dan

Just two more days. Summer’s not going quietly, but given what’s to come over the next two-ish weeks, summer will be done. Finally.

Tropical Storm Matthew developed in the southern Caribbean Sea on Thursday, and is tracking towards the northern part of Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula. Keep an eye on Matthew over the next week, as the current track and some model solutions have Matthew taking a sharp turn after making landfall on the Yucatan, and moving into the Gulf of Mexico and approaching the United States mainland.

The other big feature is the HPC’s forecast for accumulated rainfall over the next 5 days. It’s going to signal a large shift in the pattern that we have been used to over most of the summer.

That’s 2-3 inches of rain for the city over the next 5 days. If you don’t have an umbrella, grab one now.

In the meantime, we’ve still got two days of heat to deal with before the rains begin.

Friday’s record high is 95, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if that gets shattered today. This is a number I wasn’t expecting to use again this year, but today’s high temperature is likely going to approach 100 degrees. I would be surprised if Richmond does hit 100 today, but there’s no doubt we will come close. High pressure located off the coast is responsible for this warmth, and will also bring us mostly clear skies through today, and lows in the low 70s. Breezy winds and hot, dry air also mean there’s an increased fire danger for today; avoid burning if possible, and if you have to burn, use extra caution.

As the high shifts farther offshore on Saturday, we’ll see a small cooldown, with highs only near 90 and partly cloudy skies in advance of the cold front that’s expected to be the primary rainmaker beginning Sunday. Lows Saturday night will drop into the low 60s with increasing cloudiness overnight. Considering the heat on Saturday, if you’re going to be out tailgating, or at the State Fair, or anywhere for that matter – remember to stay hydrated.

CavCast (vs. VMI, 1:30pm): Plan on some additional cloudiness in Charlottesville as compared to Richmond. Temperatures at kickoff should be in the low 80s, rising into the upper 80s by the fourth quarter, with partly cloudy skies and a light breeze.

SpiderCast (vs. Delaware, 3:30pm): More warm temperatures and light winds for the Spiders as they kick off their second home game. Temperatures at game’s start will be in the upper 80s to near 90, dropping into the low 80s by game’s end under partly cloudy skies.

Clouds will build in as the front approaches overnight Saturday night, and the cooldown begins in earnest on Sunday. Highs on Sunday may not make it much past 70. It’s hard to tell this far out on the exact timing on rain, but plan on rain during the day. Lows Sunday night will only drop to near 60, with the chances of rain continuing through the evening hours.

Models are suggesting that the rain chances will continue into early next week, as temperatures again remain cool. I’ll have an update on rain totals and what’s coming on Monday.

September 24, 2010 12:04 PM 0