Kevin Myatt is The Roanoke Times' weather columnist.

kevin.myatt
@roanoke.com
981-3341

Weather with Kevin Myatt

Recent columns

• We got graupel, but not on official record
• Moisture could get caught up in cold blast
• Forecast for Weather Journal: Partly print, with frequent Internet
• Column archive

Read the Weather Journal blog

• Sprinkles or flurries possible Tuesday, but maybe something bigger for the weekend?
• For now, it looks like a quiet, mostly mild week ahead for SW Virginia
• Coldest morning of winter so far likely across much of Southwest Virginia; Tuesday precipitation looking doubtful
• Weather Journal blog

#swvawx on Twitter

@KevinMyattWx

• Follow Kevin on Twitter at @KevinMyattWx

Perception: This spring overall has been moist, even with last week's dry spell.

Reality: Roanoke has yet to have a month so far in 2009 finish even one-hundredth of an inch above normal in precipitation.

January was half an inch below normal. February was almost 2 inches below normal. March was one-third of an inch below normal. April finished four-tenths of an inch below normal -- 3.2 inches, with 3.61 being considered normal.

Even that reality can provide a skewed perception.

While Roanoke as a whole has been slightly below normal in rainfall the past couple of months, Southwest Virginia as a whole has had several episodes of widespread rainfall, with heavier amounts in many surrounding areas.

It's been enough to eliminate all areas of moderate to extreme drought in Virginia, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map released Thursday. Much of the state remains "abnormally dry," the lightest stage of drought.

But a new month has begun. You can look on the weather graphic on Page 2 to see how the month has started in rainfall at Roanoke Regional Airport. That may or may not match the perception or the reality in your back yard.

Weather Journal appears on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.