Another wet midweek and more gusty winds

A storm system strengthening over the lower Mississippi valley will be the midweek rain-maker for Mecklenburg county. As illustrated on this forecast surface map for 8 p.m. today (Wednesday) the surface low pressure will scoot almost due north into the Great Lakes vicinity by Friday morning:

The result locally will be mostly cloudy skies today, although there will be some breaks during the afternoon. The counterclockwise circulation around the storm system will pump warm moist air into the county via southerly winds. A chance of some spotty showers will be accompanied by temperatures topping out in the mid-70s.

Thursday will then be much wetter with steady precipitation most of the day. Southerly breezes will gust up to 30 mph as that low pressure moves northward over the Ohio valley. This event will deposit up to an inch of liquid in local gauges by the time the rain eases off late tomorrow night. Temperatures will range from the upper 50s in the morning to the low 70s during the afternoon hours.

The Storm Prediction Center has all of Virginia under a Marginal Risk - level 1 of 5 - for severe weather Thursday. Should any severe weather occur it would most likely be after sunset when the cold front associated with the low pressure pushes across the region. Folks should keep at least two sources of weather information at hand in case any warnings are issued by the National Weather Service. (A NOAA weather radio is ideal for receiving warnings!)

Rain chances will diminish by Friday morning with the skies turning mostly sunny. The combination of leftover atmospheric moisture and an upper air disturbance may pop a few afternoon showers, but most of Mecklenburg county should remain dry. Temperatures will top out in the upper 60s accompanied by west winds gusting over 30 mph.