RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – Keep your umbrella handy today as scattered showers linger on the southwest side of the exiting nor’easter. Today will be blustery because of the tight pressure gradient around the center of low pressure (as of this posting, it’s moving into the northern New Jersey coast). Expect gusts in central Virginia today to commonly be 25 to 35 mph, but with gusts up to 55 mph on ridge-tops in western Virginia.
Through 5 a.m. Monday, Richmond International Airport is reporting a preliminary storm total rainfall of 1.62 inches since Sunday. This storm system cut our year-to-date rainfall deficit down to about three inches below normal.
Far western Virginia in the mountains will experience heavy, wet snow and strong wind gusts today as colder air surges into the region on the back-side of this low pressure storm system.
The heavy, wet snow in higher elevations may reach three to six inches. This could lead to power outages there (when combined with strong wind gusts to 55 mph on ridge tops) and many snapped trees (which are now laden with fresh Spring leaves).
As skies clear tonight and colder air continues to surge into the Commonwealth with northwesterly winds, overnight temperatures will drop into the 30s in most of central Virginia. The farther west you go, the colder your Tuesday morning will be. In the mountains, a Freeze Warning will be in effect overnight for low temperatures in the upper 20s to freezing. This could be particularly damaging to spring gardens and sensitive plants that experienced an early growing season on the tail end of a near-record mild Winter and a record warm March.
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Meteorologist Carrie Rose
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