ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR)—A strong cold front will move through Southwest and Central Virginia on Wednesday. Gusty winds and noticeably colder air are expected behind the front. Mountain snow showers are possible.
Patchy fog and spotty light rain showers may impact the Wednesday morning commute. Otherwise, a mild and mostly cloudy day is ahead. Highs will be in the 60s and close to 70 degrees. Winds will increase during the night. Gusts of 30 – 55 mph are anticipated with the highest winds expected along ridgetops.
Thursday will be colder and windy. Morning lows will be in the 30s while highs will be in the 40s and upper 30s. An upper-level low will steer snow showers toward the Blue Ridge on Thursday and Friday.
Snowfall will be heaviest in the mountains of West Virginia and western Highland County where five to ten inches is expected. In the Mountain Empire, the higher elevations could receive three to five inches. Eastward and lower in elevation, little to no snow is expected.
Winter weather alerts have been implemented for parts of Pocahontas and Highland counties. Accumulating snowfall totals of 6 – 20 inches are possible, making travel difficult.
The cold conditions will continue into Friday and Saturday. For Friday, highs will be in the upper 30s and 40s with blustery winds blowing through. High temperatures will be in the 40s and lower 50s on Saturday with wintry mix persisting along western slopes.
Quieter weather will return to Southwest and Central Virginia on Sunday. Wind speeds will lessen, and milder temperatures will follow. By the beginning of next week, afternoon highs will return to the upper 50s and 60s.