Weather! Singin’ in the Rain edition

“Wet” is going to be the story of the week this week. We are 0.88″ short of the year-to-date average as of midnight, and the next 72 hours should see that number diminish greatly. We picked up 0.72″ of rain from thunderstorms on Wednesday and Friday, which made a healthy dent in our annual rainfall deficit, but these next three days should eradicate it completely.

May 17, 2010; 10:08 AM • by Weather Dan

“Wet” is going to be the story of the week this week. We are 0.88” short of the year-to-date average as of midnight, and the next 72 hours should see that number diminish greatly. We picked up 0.72” of rain from thunderstorms on Wednesday and Friday, which made a healthy dent in our annual rainfall deficit, but these next three days should eradicate it completely.

Speaking of Friday’s storms, if you didn’t already, make sure you take a minute to check out the lightning photos submitted to the RVANews Flickr Pool from some of our very talented readers. Thanks for the submissions!

The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center is forecasting rainfall amounts of greater than 2” in some locations; Richmond is looking at rainfall totals of at least 1.5” over the next three days.

Most of this rain should fall through Monday, as an area of low pressure moves along a stationary front draped across northern North Carolina. The rain today will be pretty constant, with some small areas of variability with regard to intensity and amounts. Temperatures today won’t move much from where they are currently, near 60 degrees. They’ll drop off a little overnight, to near 55, but there won’t be much noticeable change.

The rain finally breaks up into Tuesday morning; the low pressure system will be moving offshore through the morning hours, keeping the clouds around but lowering the rain chances slightly. Showers tomorrow become more sporadic tomorrow, but the clouds stick around, depressing temperatures yet again. Highs Tuesday will inch closer to, but likely not reach, 70. Mostly cloudy skies continue into Tuesday night, with lows in the mid 50s.

Squirrelcast (vs. Erie, 7:05pm): This has the potential to be a soggy series, though the rain threat diminishes after Tuesday. Mostly cloudy with the chance for scattered rain showers at first pitch, with temperatures in the mid 60s. Post-game temperatures will be near 60.

The mostly cloudy pattern will continue into midweek, with the chances for rain lingering, but diminishing, after Tuesday. I’ll have a new forecast for midweek, and the remainder of the Flying Squirrels’ series with Erie on Wednesday.

May 17, 2010 10:08 AM 4