ROANOKE, Va. – Chilly air makes a return this week with morning low temperatures dipping below the average.
This morning featured near freezing temperatures for a lot of the region as cold air began to funnel in.
Winds have started to pick up and will be present for most of the day, providing a slight chill to the air.
Wednesday offers the chance for all of Southwest and Central Virginia to feature temperatures at or below freezing. More frost is expected as surface temperatures and dewpoint temperatures will be very close in value. When this happens, saturation occurs, and water droplets begin to condense, leading to a dew that freezes (frost).
And right on cue, the National Weather Service has put out a freeze warning for the highlighted counties. This will be in place from 2:00am to 9:00am Wednesday morning.
As we head into the middle of April, the Climate Prediction Center indicates slightly below normal temperatures. Based on our average low of 44° and our average high of 67°, we can likely expect temperatures in the upper 30s and low/mid-60s for the near future.
Given the recent spell of warm temperatures, we have to beg the question. When will our last freeze be?
Statistically speaking, there is a good chance the Lynchburg and Southside areas will see their last freeze very soon. On average, the last freeze occurs somewhere between now and the middle of May.
Final freeze dates are heavily dependent on location, geography and altitude, with the latest last freezes occurring along the mountains in the NRV and Highlands.
Because of the current forecast and the outlook from the CPC, I would say we are on our way to seeing last freezes during the expected dates. Some areas may even see earlier last freezes, with a few along the mountains possibly pushing the window back a tad.
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