Kevin Myatt

Latest entries from the Weather Journal blog

• Weather Journal taking a long break
• Yes, there's still an Atlantic tropical season going on
• Freezing temperatures likely tonight

About Kevin

Kevin Myatt grew up in Arkansas to the tune of tornado sirens and the rhythm of hailstones, aspiring to be a meteorologist before his studies and career were turned to journalism instead. Though he often chases storms, he prefers living in the cooler, more tranquil weather of the Blue Ridge. He moved to Roanoke in 1999 to take a job on the copy desk of The Roanoke Times; writing headlines and editing copy is his principal work for the newspaper today.

Each May, Kevin assists Pulaski County High School / Virginia Tech meteorology instructor Dave Carroll in leading college and high school students to the Plains to observe severe weather firsthand. The accounts of many of his storm chases can be found here on the storm chasing page of his weather blog on roanoke.com.

Kevin was an editor for "Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States," a book written by D.C.-area weather enthusiast Rick Schwartz and published by Blue Diamond Books that documents hurricanes striking the mid-Atlantic states since colonial times.

The Weather Journal column began in 2003 and appears on Friday's Virginia section front in The Roanoke Times. The Weather Journal blog began in 2006 and follows weather day-by-day between the larger columns.

Snowfall forecasters weigh in

I expected a flurry. I got a blizzard.

A simple call for a few predictions about snowfall this winter has resulted in more than 140 entries.

Southwest Virginians are certainly passionate about snow -- but I already knew that, judging from my correspondence and online blog traffic.

Though I let a few more entries trickle in Thursday after the deadline, I've cut the contest off. We're just getting too close to the time when it's possible that, any day, there will be a snow threat on the horizon.

Carole Tarrant, editor of The Roanoke Times, wants to sweeten the pot a bit. Not only will the winners get the glory of having their forecast prowess trumpeted in Weather Journal, but there will be some Roanoke Times or weather-related goodies, too.

I apologize to those who don't have computer access, since I took all entries by e-mail or blog comments.

This was originally intended to be a spur-of-the-moment, informal kind of thing. Thanks to many loyal readers, it's a little bigger now. If I do it again next year, I'll get it going earlier and allow for mail-in entries.

A cursory look at the many entries reveals a wide range.

Some think we're going to get just a few inches; others think we will get more than 40 inches. Some think we won't get out of November without our first significant snow, while at least three think it will be February before we see our first 1-inch snow.

And contrary to what you might think, it seems like the younger entrants are more conservative in their snowfall guesses than many of the adults.

My thanks to all who entered and best wishes to each of you.

Arctic chill on the way

By this time next week, we will probably have seen at least a few snowflakes flying through the air, though probably not the first 1-inch snow in Roanoke.

The first major push of Arctic air this season is due early next week. By Tuesday or Wednesday, highs may struggle to reach 40 degrees.

Blustery northwest winds whipping up and over the mountains west of Roanoke will kick off the familiar upslope snow showers. Some places in West Virginia might collect a few inches Tuesday. Here in the Roanoke Valley, there's a pretty good chance some snow flurries will dance in the breeze.

Before then, we have another batch of rain pushing through tonight and Saturday, as a cold front plows into moist air. There might even be some thunder, along with gusty winds.

Though we may recover nicely from the chill toward the end of next week, it looks like another Arctic blast will arrive just in time for cold turkey on Thanksgiving week.