Kevin Myatt

Latest entries from the Weather Journal blog

• Weather Journal remains on break
• Coastal low prompts Southwest Virginia flooding
• Hurricane Ida: Something extraordinary may be happening

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.

Mild, wet week in region could get shot of cold after rain Sunday

It won't rain every moment now through the weekend. But every day, there is a chance of rain.

A slow-moving front wagging back and forth across our area the next several days will serve as a guide wire for storm systems moving out of the central United States.

So close to the front, any weak disturbance will be able to trigger showers as Gulf of Mexico moisture is pulled northward. As a result, there is a chance of rain each day between now and at least Sunday, but it won't be a constant rain. Friday could even see some warm sunshine with temperatures topping 60.

With a stronger low pressure system and cold front late in the weekend, there could be heavier rain about Sunday, followed by a temporary shot of seasonably cold air.

Otherwise, it will be showery and mostly mild.

The focus of the colder weather will remain in the central and Western states, likely through Christmas and beyond. That will limit cold intrusions in the East to an occasional brief shot.

Chances for wintry precipitation will be minimal, though as Tuesday night's freezing rain threat a few counties north of us showed, it is still possible when the brief cold shots and moisture hook up just right. Some mountain snow showers may also occur behind the stronger cold fronts, like the one early next week.

This will be a good period for some help with the long-term drought, but it won't make the snow fans happy.