Current weather · Sep 30, 1:27 AM EDT

37.0680, -81.7710

54°

ClearFeels like 54° · Humidity 96%NWS forecast for this hour; no recent station reportForecast by NWS Blacksburg, VA · grid 10,53
High
76°
Low
55°
Rain today
0%
Sunrise
7:22 AM
Sunset
7:12 PM

Hour by hour

NWS forecast grid

Scroll sideways for more hours. Pick an hour for every number.

Every hour as a table48 hours
TimeWeatherTemperatureFeels likeDew pointHumidityChanceAmountSnowDirWindGustSky coverThunderPressureVisibilityCeiling
Wed 1 AM54°54°53°96%0%ESE1 mph3 mph4%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 2 AM54°54°52°96%0%ESE1 mph3 mph9%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 3 AM52°52°52°100%0%E1 mph3 mph16%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 4 AM52°52°52°99%0%ESE2 mph3 mph21%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 5 AM52°52°51°97%0%SE2 mph5 mph21%0.01 inHg8 mi
Wed 6 AM52°52°51°98%0%SE2 mph5 mph19%0.01 inHg8 mi
Wed 7 AM52°52°50°96%0%SE2 mph5 mph28%0.01 inHg8 mi
Wed 8 AM52°52°50°95%0%SE2 mph5 mph30%0.01 inHg9 mi
Wed 9 AM56°56°54°93%0%SSE2 mph6 mph34%0.01 inHg9 mi
Wed 10 AM62°62°56°81%0%SW2 mph7 mph21%0.01 inHg9 mi
Wed 11 AM67°67°56°69%0%WSW3 mph8 mph39%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 12 PM70°70°56°62%0%WSW3 mph8 mph36%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 1 PM73°73°55°53%0%WSW3 mph8 mph38%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 2 PM75°75°53°46%0%WSW5 mph8 mph36%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 3 PM76°76°54°47%0%WSW3 mph7 mph22%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 4 PM76°76°54°47%0%WSW3 mph7 mph12%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 5 PM76°76°54°47%0%WSW2 mph7 mph34%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 6 PM73°73°55°54%0%WSW2 mph6 mph35%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 7 PM69°69°56°63%0%SSW1 mph5 mph42%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 8 PM64°64°57°76%0%S1 mph3 mph33%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 9 PM63°63°56°79%0%SSE1 mph3 mph27%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 10 PM62°62°56°81%0%SSE1 mph3 mph40%0.01 inHg10 mi
Wed 11 PM60°60°55°83%0%SSE2 mph5 mph20%0.01 inHg10 mi
Thu 12 AM59°59°54°83%0%SE2 mph5 mph13%0.01 inHg10 mi
Thu 1 AM58°58°54°86%0%SE2 mph5 mph7%0.01 inHg10 mi
Thu 2 AM58°58°54°87%0%SSE2 mph5 mph15%0.01 inHg10 mi
Thu 3 AM57°57°53°88%0%SE2 mph5 mph14%0.01 inHg10 mi
Thu 4 AM56°56°53°89%0%SE2 mph5 mph21%0.01 inHg10 mi
Thu 5 AM56°56°52°88%0%SE2 mph5 mph25%0.01 inHg10 mi
Thu 6 AM56°56°52°88%0%SSE2 mph6 mph28%0.01 inHg10 mi
Thu 7 AM56°56°52°86%0%SSE2 mph6 mph38%0.01 inHg9 mi
Thu 8 AM56°56°51°85%0%SSE2 mph6 mph42%0.01 inHg9 mi
Thu 9 AM59°59°54°82%0%SE3 mph7 mph25%0.01 inHg9 mi
Thu 10 AM64°64°55°73%0%SSW2 mph8 mph14%0.01 inHg10 mi
Thu 11 AM70°70°56°62%0%SW3 mph9 mph13%0.01 inHg10 mi
Thu 12 PM73°73°56°54%0%SW5 mph9 mph20%0.01 inHg—
Thu 1 PM76°76°55°49%0%SW5 mph9 mph21%0.01 inHg—
Thu 2 PM78°78°55°45%0%WSW5 mph8 mph23%0.01 inHg—
Thu 3 PM79°79°55°43%0%WSW5 mph8 mph20%0.01 inHg—
Thu 4 PM79°79°55°44%0%SW5 mph8 mph18%0.01 inHg—
Thu 5 PM78°78°56°46%0%SW5 mph8 mph15%0.01 inHg—
Thu 6 PM75°75°56°52%0%SW3 mph7 mph16%0.01 inHg—
Thu 7 PM72°72°58°61%0%SSW2 mph6 mph17%0.01 inHg—
Thu 8 PM68°69°58°70%0%SSW1 mph5 mph18%0.01 inHg—
Thu 9 PM66°66°58°76%0%S2 mph5 mph18%——
Thu 10 PM64°64°58°80%0%S2 mph5 mph18%——
Thu 11 PM62°62°57°83%0%SSE2 mph5 mph18%——
Fri 12 AM61°61°56°85%0%SSE2 mph6 mph18%——

The next 16 days

NWS grid published Sep 30, 1:00 AM EDT to day 7, the National Blend of Models to day 10, the mean of GFS, ECMWF, ECMWF AI to day 16
  1. TodaySep 3076°55°Mostly Sunny0%wind 5 mph
  2. ThuOct 179°59°Sunny0%wind 5 mph
  3. FriOct 278°61°Mostly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers41%wind 8 mph · gusts 14 mph
  4. SatOct 369°57°Showers And Thunderstorms76%wind 3 mph
  5. SunOct 465°52°Rain Showers76%wind 5 mph
  6. MonOct 563°42°Slight Chance Rain Showers35%wind 7 mph
  7. TueOct 664°42°Sunny5%wind 5 mph
  8. WedOct 766°45°National Blend10%wind 3 mph
  9. ThuOct 867°46°National Blend10%wind 3 mph
  10. FriOct 966°44°National Blend9%0.01 inwind 5 mph
  11. SatOct 10~67°49°Model mean0.06 in
  12. SunOct 11~60°52°Model mean0.22 in
  13. MonOct 12~63°46°Model mean
  14. TueOct 13~66°44°Model mean0.03 in
  15. WedOct 14~70°45°Model mean
  16. ThuOct 15~71°48°Model mean

Right now

NWS grid for this hour · UV from the EPA · air quality from AirNow
  • Feels like54°
  • WindCalm
  • Radar over this pointno reading
  • Humidity96%
  • Dew point53°
  • Pressure0.01 inHg
  • UV index—
  • Air quality—
  • Visibility10 mi
  • Sunrise and sunsetSunrise · Sunset · not yet up
  • Moonrise9:28 PMMoonset 11:53 AM
  • Moon phaseWaning gibbous83% lit

The National Blend of Models

NOAA NBM v5.0 · run of Sep 29, 8:00 PM EDT

NOAA’s weighted blend of every model it runs, to eleven days, with the chances the grid above does not carry. Where the local office’s grid reaches, its figure sits beneath the blend’s; where it does not, the blend stands alone.

  1. TodaySep 3076°55°NWS grid 76° / 55°rain 0%wind 5 mph
  2. ThuOct 178°59°NWS grid 79° / 59°rain 0%wind 5 mph
  3. FriOct 278°61°NWS grid 78° / 61°rain 62%thunder 18%0.06 inwind 9 mph · gusts 15 mph
  4. SatOct 369°56°NWS grid 69° / 57°rain 78%thunder 23%0.67 inwind 3 mph
  5. SunOct 464°51°NWS grid 65° / 52°rain 70%thunder 22%0.89 inwind 5 mph
  6. MonOct 564°41°NWS grid 63° / 42°rain 24%0.15 inwind 7 mph
  7. TueOct 664°42°NWS grid 64° / 42°rain 5%wind 3 mph
  8. WedOct 766°45°Beyond the NWS gridrain 10%wind 3 mph
  9. ThuOct 867°46°Beyond the NWS gridrain 10%wind 3 mph
  10. FriOct 966°44°Beyond the NWS gridrain 9%0.01 inwind 5 mph
  11. SatOct 1064°—Beyond the NWS gridrain 9%wind 5 mph
41°64°86°ThuFriSatSunMonTueWed

BlendNWS gridChance of rain, hourly

The models, side by side

HRRR Sep 29, 8:00 PM EDT · GFS Sep 29, 2:00 PM EDT · GEFS Sep 29, 2:00 PM EDT · ECMWF Sep 29, 8:00 AM EDT · ECMWF AI Sep 29, 8:00 AM EDT

Each line is one model’s own forecast at its own grid cell: three kilometers for HRRR, a quarter of a degree for the global models, which can sit a few hundred meters above or below the town. Where they agree the forecast is settled; where they part is where it is not.

32°59°86°ThuFriSatSunMonTueWed

DayNWS gridHRRRGFSGEFSECMWFECMWF AI
Today Sep 3076° 55°79° 54°77° 50°78° 52°75° 51°~77° 52°
Thu Oct 179° 59°82° 57°80° 54°80° 56°78° 55°~79° 55°
Fri Oct 278° 61°—81° 57°0.08 in78° 59°0.13 in77° 58°0.23 in~78° 60°0.15 in
Sat Oct 369° 57°—66° 62°0.45 in67° 58°0.32 in68° 58°0.62 in~66° 63°0.37 in
Sun Oct 465° 52°—64° 60°0.39 in65° 56°0.33 in65° 58°0.69 in~66° 59°0.22 in
Mon Oct 563° 42°—65° 45°0.07 in65° 47°0.08 in~63° 51°0.01 in~68° 55°
Tue Oct 664° 42°—63° 37°65° 42°~61° 41°~66° 40°
Wed Oct 7——67° 37°65° 43°0.04 in~64° 41°~70° 42°
Thu Oct 8——70° 40°67° 48°0.09 in~68° 44°~73° 47°
Fri Oct 9——66° 46°~65° 49°0.04 in~70° 51°~76° 52°
Sat Oct 10——~60° 42°—~68° 50°~74° 55°0.17 in
Sun Oct 11——~47° 44°0.14 in—~67° 54°~67° 56°0.52 in
Mon Oct 12——~65° 41°—~73° 51°~50° 44°
Tue Oct 13——~66° 43°—~74° 54°0.09 in~57° 33°
Wed Oct 14——~70° 45°—~48° 43°~39° 39°
Thu Oct 15——~71° 48°———

A ~ marks a high or low read from six-hourly steps, which miss the true extreme by a degree or two.

ECMWF ensemble meteogram

ECMWF ensemble meteogram for this place: box plots of cloud cover, precipitation, wind speed and temperature from the 51 ensemble members for ten days.
Rendered by ECMWF from its 51-member ensemble, in metric units: each box spans the middle half of the members, the whiskers the rest, the line the control run. A forecast, not an observation. © ECMWF, CC BY 4.0.

The next 90 days

NOAA GHCN normals and records at Richlands (JFZ) · Climate Prediction Center outlooks

No forecast has skill day by day past about two weeks, and this page does not print one. Where the models stop, the calendar takes over: the 1991 to 2020 normal for each date, the record high and low ever set on it, and where the Climate Prediction Center leans warm, cool, wet or dry over the coming weeks, the month and the season. A site that shows a high for a date three months out is showing you this normal with a wobble.

The forecast reaches Thu Oct 15, from the NWS grid, then the National Blend, then the mean of the global models. Beyond it the lines are the calendar.

Climate Prediction Center (CPC) temperature lean40%warmer 40% · Oct 202633% chance above normal · Oct to Dec0°20°40°60°80°TodayOct 1Nov 1Dec 1

Forecast high and lowNormal high and lowRecord high and lowCPC leans warmer than normalCPC near normal or equal chances

Week ofNormalWarmest on recordColdest on recordTemperature leanPrecipitation lean
Sep 3072° / 44°91° (2019)26° (2003)40% chance above normal · Oct 2026equal chances · Oct 2026
Oct 771° / 45°88° (2007)25° (2000)near normal most likely · days 8 to 1433% chance above normal · days 8 to 14
Oct 1465° / 37°83° (2008)22° (1992)40% chance above normal · Oct 2026equal chances · Oct 2026
Oct 2166° / 37°83° (2016)20° (1997)40% chance above normal · Oct 2026equal chances · Oct 2026
Oct 2864° / 34°81° (2003)19° (2023)40% chance above normal · Oct 2026equal chances · Oct 2026
Nov 460° / 33°82° (2003)12° (1991)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec
Nov 1154° / 30°80° (1993)11° (2019)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec
Nov 1855° / 29°75° (2016)5° (2008)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec
Nov 2553° / 29°75° (1990)12° (2013)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec
Dec 249° / 29°79° (2001)2° (1995)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec
Dec 946° / 24°72° (2015)1° (1995)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec
Dec 1645° / 25°73° (2015)-4° (1989)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec
Dec 2341° / 21°74° (2015)-15° (1989)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec

Health and activities

Rules of thumb over the next 24 hours of forecast, the warnings in force, the station’s report, air quality and pollen

None of these is a measurement. Each is a rating of the forecast ahead, and of what is happening at the point right now, against what the activity or the ailment is known to mind, and each names the figure that decided it. An ailment or a pest is rated as a risk, low to extreme; an activity, a chore or a journey as a condition, poor to ideal.

Each rating says which span it is for: the rest of today’s daylight, tonight, or the next 24 hours.

Health

  • Arthritisnext 24 hModeratehumid
  • Sinus pressurenext 24 hLowsteady conditions
  • Common coldtodayLowmild
  • FlutodayLowmild
  • Migrainenext 24 hLowsteady conditions
  • Asthmanext 24 hLowclean air
  • Heat stresstodayLowmild
  • SunburntodayLowweak sun
  • Frostbitenext 24 hLowmild
  • SleepingtonightIdealcool, quiet night

Outdoors

  • RunningtodayVery goodhot
  • HikingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • BikingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • GolftodayIdealfine conditions
  • FishingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • Boating and paddlingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • Beach and pooltodayIdealfine conditions
  • CampingtonightIdealfine conditions
  • StargazingtonightGoodbright moon

Travel

  • Air travelnext 24 hIdealclear skies
  • Drivingnext 24 hIdealclear roads

Home and garden

  • Lawn mowingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • GardeningtodayIdealfine conditions
  • Outdoor entertainingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • Drying laundry outsidetodayIdealfine conditions
  • Painting and outdoor projectstodayIdealfine conditions
  • FrosttonightLowmild

Pests

  • MosquitoestodayHighwarm
  • TickstodayHighwarm
  • Indoor pestsnext 24 hLowmild
  • Outdoor peststodayModeratewarm

Stargazing

Worked out from the NWS hourly forecast and the sun and moon

Tonight has no dark, clear hour without a bright moon in this forecast. Rated fair.

Night ofRatingDarkClear hoursClear and moonlessMoon litTransparency (est.)DewStrongest wind
WednesdayFair8:38 PM to 5:56 AM5 of 9None80%Poor1 h2 mph
ThursdayFair8:37 PM to 5:57 AM7 of 91 h from 9:00 PM70%Poor3 mph
FridayPoor8:35 PM to 5:58 AM0 of 9None60%7 h1 mph
SaturdayPoor8:33 PM to 5:59 AM0 of 9None50%9 h2 mph
SundayPoor8:32 PM to 6:00 AM0 of 9None39%9 h2 mph
MondayGood8:30 PM to 6:01 AM10 of 107 h from 8:00 PM29%Poor9 h5 mph

Dark is the sun 18 degrees below the horizon; where it never gets that low, 12 degrees, marked nautical. Clear is sky cover of 20% or less. A bright moon is one above the horizon with a quarter or more of its disc lit. Transparency in the table is estimated from surface humidity (70% and 85% mark fair and poor) and visibility, since the forecast carries no haze or high cloud moisture. Seeing and transparency by hour, where shown, are Environment and Climate Change Canada’s astronomy forecast (regional model; seeing from cloud, wind shear, turbulence near the ground and the surface temperature trend; transparency from the moisture through the whole air column), under the Open Government Licence - Canada. Dew is the air within 2 °C of its dew point. Excellent is four or more clear moonless hours with good transparency; good is three; fair is one, or two clear hours.

Golden hour and blue hour

Computed from the sun and moon positions
DayBlue hour, morningGolden hour, morningGolden hour, eveningBlue hour, evening
Wed6:56 AM to 7:06 AM7:06 AM to 7:56 AM6:37 PM to 7:28 PM7:28 PM to 7:38 PM
Thu6:57 AM to 7:07 AM7:07 AM to 7:57 AM6:36 PM to 7:26 PM7:26 PM to 7:36 PM
Fri6:57 AM to 7:07 AM7:07 AM to 7:58 AM6:34 PM to 7:25 PM7:25 PM to 7:35 PM
Sat6:58 AM to 7:08 AM7:08 AM to 7:59 AM6:33 PM to 7:23 PM7:23 PM to 7:33 PM
Sun6:59 AM to 7:09 AM7:09 AM to 8:00 AM6:31 PM to 7:22 PM7:22 PM to 7:32 PM
Mon7:00 AM to 7:10 AM7:10 AM to 8:01 AM6:30 PM to 7:20 PM7:20 PM to 7:30 PM
Tue7:01 AM to 7:11 AM7:11 AM to 8:02 AM6:28 PM to 7:19 PM7:19 PM to 7:29 PM
NESWSRSSMRMS
  • SR Sunrise 7:22 AM, 93° E
  • SS Sunset 7:12 PM, 267° W
  • MR Moonrise 9:28 PM, 57° ENE
  • MS Moonset 11:53 AM, 302° WNW
  • Waning gibbous, 83% lit

Golden hour is the sun between 6 degrees above the horizon and 4 degrees below it; blue hour is the sun between 4 and 6 degrees below. These are the definitions timeanddate.com and PhotoPills use. Directions are degrees clockwise from true north, where the sun’s upper edge and the moon’s center cross a flat horizon; hills and buildings change both. None means the sun does not reach that height on the day; all day means it stays inside the band.

Drone flying

NWS hourly forecast, SWPC Kp, FAA TFRs and 14 CFR Part 107

This hour: fly with caution (night: lighting and night training required (107.29)). Next good stretch: Wed 8 AM to 7 PM, 11 hours.

Today: civil twilight for Part 107 6:52 AM to sunrise 7:22 AM, and sunset 7:12 PM to 7:42 PM. Anti-collision lighting is required in those minutes and at night.

Wed6 AM12 PM6 PM
Thu12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Fri12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM

Good Caution No-fly

HourVerdictWind (mph)400 ft est. (mph)Gust (mph)RainVisibilityCloud allowsTempKpWhy
Wed 1 AMCaution1570%10 mi54°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Wed 2 AMCaution1570%10 mi54°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Wed 3 AMCaution1570%10 mi52°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Wed 4 AMCaution29100%10 mi52°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Wed 5 AMCaution29110%8 mi52°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Wed 6 AMCaution29110%8 mi52°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Wed 7 AMCaution2350%8 mi52°civil twilight: lighting required (107.29)
Wed 8 AMGood2350%9 mi52°nothing against it
Wed 9 AMGood2360%9 mi56°nothing against it
Wed 10 AMGood2370%9 mi62°nothing against it
Wed 11 AMGood3490%10 mi67°nothing against it
Wed 12 PMGood3490%10 mi70°nothing against it
Wed 1 PMGood3490%10 mi73°nothing against it
Wed 2 PMGood5590%10 mi75°nothing against it
Wed 3 PMGood3480%10 mi76°nothing against it
Wed 4 PMGood3480%10 mi76°nothing against it
Wed 5 PMGood2370%10 mi76°nothing against it
Wed 6 PMGood2360%10 mi73°nothing against it
Wed 7 PMCaution1580%10 mi69°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Wed 8 PMCaution1570%10 mi64°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Wed 9 PMCaution1570%10 mi63°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Wed 10 PMCaution1570%10 mi62°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Wed 11 PMCaution29110%10 mi60°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 12 AMCaution29110%10 mi59°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)

Flight restrictions nearby

Reading the FAA’s temporary flight restrictions.

Flight restrictions on the map. TFRs are not the whole picture: controlled airspace around airports needs LAANC authorization. Check the FAA’s B4UFLY.

Wind at 400 ft is estimated from the 10 m forecast by the power law, with exponents for each Pasquill stability class (Irwin 1979, rural, as in EPA dispersion models; the class from wind, sun height and cloud, after Turner 1970); gusts keep the ground gust’s margin. Caution from three quarters of your limit; the default 24 mph is the wind resistance printed for common sub-250 g drones. 14 CFR 107.51: “The minimum flight visibility, as observed from the location of the control station must be no less than 3 statute miles” and at least “500 feet below the cloud”. 14 CFR 107.29: “No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system during periods of civil twilight unless the small unmanned aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles”; civil twilight is the 30 minutes before sunrise and after sunset, in Alaska the Air Almanac’s. Kp: SWPC’s scales say satellite navigation problems may occur at G3 (Kp 7) and navigation is “degraded for hours” at G4 (Kp 8); Kp 5 is the typical app warning. Typical limits, not rules: rain chance 30% caution and 60% no-fly, thunder 10% and 20%, below 0 °C caution and −10 °C no-fly, over 40 °C caution. Your drone’s manual and the airspace come first.

Spraying and field work

Worked out from the NWS hourly forecast

Hours fit for spraying, and the days dry enough for fieldwork and hay, read from this forecast’s wind, gusts, humidity, temperature and rain.

Spraying windows

  • Wed 11 AM to 5 PM 6 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Thu 11 AM to 7 PM 8 hours, some with delta T between 8 and 10 °C
  • Fri 9 AM to 4 PM 7 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Mon 1 PM to 8 PM 7 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Tue 12 PM to 5 PM 5 hours, every hour within the rules
Wed6 AM12 PM6 PM
Thu12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Fri12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Sat12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM

Good Marginal No

Field days

DayDaytimeChance of rainRainLowest humidityStrongest windDry days in a rowHay drying
WednesdayDry0%0.00 in46%5 mph3 d
ThursdayDry0%0.00 in43%5 mph2 d
FridayDry27%0.00 in58%8 mph1 d
SaturdayShowers possible76%0.00 in91%3 mph
SundayShowers possible66%0.00 in93%5 mph
MondayDry15%0.00 in67%7 mph2 d
TuesdayDry1%0.00 in54%5 mph1 d

Spraying: sustained wind 3 to 10 mph, the range US extension services and most labels give; gusts no more than 15 mph (this page’s limit); delta T (air minus wet-bulb temperature) 2 to 8 °C preferred and 8 to 10 °C marginal, from GRDC guidance, with the wet bulb by Stull’s formula; no hour at a 30% chance of rain or 0.25 mm forecast during the rain-free time. Follow the product label, which overrides all of this. Field days: dry is no daytime hour at a 30% chance and under 1 mm all day, wet is 6 mm (0.25 in) or more; soil moisture is not in the forecast, so ground still wet from earlier rain is not accounted for. Hay drying marks a dry day with humidity down to 50% and a breeze of 5 mph or more.

Solunar times

Computed from the moon’s position

The best-rated day this week is Thursday, rated fair.

DayRatingMajor periodsMinor periodsMoonSunrise, sunset
Wed Poor3:14 AM to 5:14 AM3:43 PM to 5:43 PM11:23 AM to 12:23 PM8:58 PM to 9:58 PM 83%7:22 AM, 7:12 PM
Thu Fair4:14 AM to 6:14 AM4:45 PM to 6:45 PM12:35 PM to 1:35 PM9:53 PM to 10:53 PM 74%7:23 AM, 7:10 PM
Fri Fair5:16 AM to 7:16 AM5:48 PM to 7:48 PM1:40 PM to 2:40 PM10:57 PM to 11:57 PM 64%7:23 AM, 7:09 PM
Sat Fair6:19 AM to 8:19 AM6:49 PM to 8:49 PM2:35 PM to 3:35 PM 54%7:24 AM, 7:07 PM
Sun Fair7:19 AM to 9:19 AM7:47 PM to 9:47 PM12:07 AM to 1:07 AM3:21 PM to 4:21 PM 43%7:25 AM, 7:06 PM
Mon Fair8:15 AM to 10:15 AM8:41 PM to 10:41 PM1:20 AM to 2:20 AM3:58 PM to 4:58 PM 33%7:26 AM, 7:04 PM
Tue Poor9:07 AM to 11:07 AM9:31 PM to 11:31 PM2:32 AM to 3:32 AM4:29 PM to 5:29 PM 23%7:27 AM, 7:03 PM

Periods in bold fall within an hour of sunrise or sunset. The weather’s side is the fishing index

Major periods are two hours centered on the moon’s passage overhead and underfoot; minor periods are one hour centered on moonrise and moonset: the conventional durations of John Alden Knight’s solunar tables (1936). The rating is this site’s: one point to start, two more within a day and a half of a new or full moon (one more within three and a half days), and one more when a period falls within an hour of sunrise or sunset. The theory has mixed support in fisheries research; the times are exact astronomy.

In words

NWS forecast periods, as issued
  1. Overnight51° · SE 2 mph

    Mostly clear, with a low around 51. Southeast wind around 2 mph.

  2. Wednesday76° · SW 5 mph

    Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

  3. Wednesday Night55° · S 2 mph

    Mostly clear, with a low around 55. South wind around 2 mph.

  4. Thursday79° · SW 5 mph

    Sunny, with a high near 79. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

  5. Thursday Night59° · S 3 mph

    Mostly clear, with a low around 59. South wind around 3 mph.

  6. Friday78° · 27% · SW 3–8 mph

    A chance of rain showers after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

  7. Friday Night61° · 44% · SW 0–5 mph

    A chance of rain showers before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

  8. Saturday69° · 76% · NW 0–3 mph

    Rain showers likely before 2pm, then showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

  9. Saturday Night57° · 76% · E 2 mph

    Showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

  10. Sunday65° · 76% · SW 5 mph

    Rain showers. Cloudy, with a high near 65. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

  11. Sunday Night52° · 56% · N 3 mph

    Rain showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

  12. Monday63° · 23% · N 1–7 mph

    A slight chance of rain showers before 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 63.

  13. Monday Night42° · 6% · NE 2–6 mph

    Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.

  14. Tuesday64° · 1% · E 5 mph

    Sunny, with a high near 64.

The forecaster’s discussion

NWS Blacksburg, VA · issued Sep 29, 7:25 PM EDT

Written by the forecaster on duty for their own colleagues and for anyone who wants to know why the forecast says what it says. It is not edited for the public, so it uses the office’s shorthand; it is also the most honest thing any weather service publishes.

What Has Changed

Aviation updated.

KEY Messages

1) A warming trend begins tomorrow and peaks Friday, with a cold air wedge building in for the weekend.

1) The current period of dry and clear weather ends Friday into early next week with increasing chances for rain.

Discussion

KEY MESSAGE 1: A warming trend begins tomorrow and peaks Friday, with a cold air wedge building in for the weekend.

A broad sub-tropical ridge now over the Gulf coast states will move east and build north into the interior Mid-Atlantic the next couple of days. Our recent period of cooler and dry northerly flow will be replaced by southwest winds/WAA tomorrow through Friday. This will mean an increase in temperatures, with some locations reaching the mid 80s to lower 90s in the Piedmont and around larger urban areas like Roanoke tomorrow through Friday.

It looks like a brief CAD event develops for the weekend. Expect Increasing clouds and rain chances to suppress temperatures on Saturday, with frontal passages ushering in even cooler weather for Sunday into Monday, with highs in the 60s and 70s. The wedge looks to break down on Tuesday with sunshine returning...however cooler temperatures remain.

KEY MESSAGE 2: The current period of dry and clear weather ends Friday into the weekend with increasing chances for rain.

Cooler and dry northerly flow will be replaced by southwest winds and slowly increasing moisture through Friday. By then, the sub-tropical ridge will be suppressed as a mean trough axis approaches from the west. Most of the cyclonic energy will stay to our north, but it will help drive a surface low and frontal system into the area for the weekend. Several ensemble members hold precip off until Friday evening, as it will take some time for the atmosphere to regain moisture. Once it does, it looks like some pretty significant rainfall totals could be realized over the weekend. A lot of this rain will fall in showers and storms associated with a couple cold frontal passages, with the last one exiting to our south sometime Monday.

Aviation · 00Z Wednesday Through Sunday

VFR conditions are observed areawide, with a mid level cloud layer mostly over the central and south central parts of VA. Overnight, expect a mix of stratus and fog as moisture returns to the region, with conditions between MVFR and IFR for most, but IFR to LIFR for the western terminals where cloud cover looks to be denser and ceilings lower. Conditions improve to VFR between 13 to 15Z for all terminals. High clouds move into the area from the west by Wednesday afternoon.

Winds will go calm overnight, becoming west to southwesterly by the afternoon, and more southerly by the evening. Wind speed staying around 5 knots or lower through the TAF period.

EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...

High pressure will keep mostly VFR conditions through Friday, except for morning fog in mountain and river valleys. By Friday afternoon and evening, expect increasing cloud cover and precipitation through the weekend, with low stratus, fog, and moderate rain brings periods MVFR or lower conditions, especially Saturday and Sunday.

NE to E winds develop over the weekend for TAF sites east of the Blue Ridge as cold air damming begins. Winds will be more variable over the mountains initially before turning ESE Saturday night. Some gusts expected but nothing over 20 kts except in thunderstorms.

RNK Watches / Warnings / Advisories

VA...None. NC...None. WV...None.

Hazardous weather outlook Sep 29, 1:38 PM EDT

The office’s own seven-day heads-up for spotters and emergency managers.

FLUS41 KRNK 291738
HWORNK

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
138 PM EDT Tue Sep 29 2026

NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059-
WVZ042>044-507-508-301745-
Ashe-Alleghany NC-Surry-Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Watauga-Wilkes-
Yadkin-Tazewell-Smyth-Bland-Giles-Wythe-Pulaski-Montgomery-Grayson-
Carroll-Floyd-Craig-Alleghany VA-Bath-Roanoke-Botetourt-Rockbridge-
Patrick-Franklin-Bedford-Amherst-Henry-Pittsylvania-Campbell-
Appomattox-Buckingham-Halifax-Charlotte-Mercer-Summers-Monroe-
Eastern Greenbrier-Western Greenbrier-
138 PM EDT Tue Sep 29 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central North Carolina, 
northwest North Carolina, central Virginia, south central Virginia, 
southwest Virginia, west central Virginia and southeast West 
Virginia.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

$$

The outlooks beyond

SPC, WPC, CPC and the Drought Monitor, read at this point

The national centers each publish a judgment the local grid does not carry. Read here at this exact coordinate.

Severe weather

  1. Day 1 · Wed Sep 30No risk area
  2. Day 2 · Thu Oct 1No risk area
  3. Day 3 · Fri Oct 2No risk area
  4. Day 4 · Sat Oct 3No risk area
  5. Day 5 · Sun Oct 4No risk area
  6. Day 6 · Mon Oct 5No risk area
  7. Day 7 · Tue Oct 6No risk area
  8. Day 8 · Wed Oct 7No risk area

Rainfall

  1. Day 1 · Wed Sep 30Under 0.01 in
  2. Day 2 · Thu Oct 1Under 0.01 in
  3. Day 3 · Fri Oct 20.01 in
  4. Day 4-5 · Oct 3–Oct 41.25 in
  5. Day 6-7 · Oct 5–Oct 60.10 in

The rainfall forecast on the map, days 1 to 7

Flash flood risk

  1. Day 1 · Wed Sep 30Below marginal
  2. Day 2 · Thu Oct 1Below marginal
  3. Day 3 · Fri Oct 2Below marginal
  4. Day 4 · Sat Oct 3Below marginal
  5. Day 5 · Sun Oct 4Marginal

Six to fourteen days

  1. Days 6–10 · TemperatureNear normal most likelyOct 5–Oct 9
  2. Days 6–10 · Precipitation33% chance above normalOct 5–Oct 9
  3. Days 8–14 · TemperatureNear normal most likelyOct 7–Oct 13
  4. Days 8–14 · Precipitation33% chance above normalOct 7–Oct 13

Hazards, 3 to 14 days

  1. Oct 3–Oct 6Heavy Rain

Frost and climate

NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Richlands

The last spring freeze (32°F) usually comes around April 27 and the first fall freeze around October 18: a growing season of about 173 days.

One fall in ten brings a freeze by October 5; one spring in ten still has one after May 14.

Climate of 37.07, -81.77: normals, records and every month

Everything else on the grid

NWS forecast grid · 28 elements

The forecast office edits about sixty fields for every cell of its grid. The common ones are above; these are the rest, as the daily extreme, for anyone who needs the mixing height, the fire danger or the swell.

ElementWedThuFriSatSunMonTue
HeatRisk max0 · Little1 · Minor1 · Minor1 · Minor1 · Minor0 · Little0 · Little
Wet bulb globe temperature max70°72°74°69°65°61°60°
Heat index max76°79°78°
Wind chill min49°43°
Chance of thunder max0%0%17%21%14%5%2%
Visibility min8 mi9 mi
Pressure min0.01 inHg0.01 inHg
Mixing height max4,400 ft4,800 ft
Transport wind max9 mph9 mph
Atmospheric dispersion index max4145
Low visibility risk max106
Stability max77

Against the record

NOAA GHCN · Richlands (JFZ) · 1.5 mi away

Each forecast day against the same calendar date at the nearest long-record station: the 1991 to 2020 normal, and the record high and low with the year they were set.

DayForecastNormalRecord highRecord low
Wed Sep 3076° / 55°71° / 46°90° (2019)34° (1992)
Thu Oct 179° / 59°70° / 44°89° (2019)29° (1993)
Fri Oct 278° / 61°71° / 43°91° (2019)29° (1993)
Sat Oct 369° / 57°72° / 44°88° (2019)26° (2003)
Sun Oct 465° / 52°72° / 45°91° (2019)33° (1993)
Mon Oct 563° / 42°72° / 46°83° (2005)32° (2014)
Tue Oct 664° / 42°72° / 43°83° (2017)32° (1989)

Sun and moon

DayCivil twilightSunriseSunsetCivil twilightDaylightMoon
Wed6:56 AM7:22 AM7:12 PM7:38 PM11 h 50 min Waning gibbous · 83% lit
Thu6:57 AM7:23 AM7:10 PM7:36 PM11 h 47 min Waning gibbous · 74% lit
Fri6:57 AM7:23 AM7:09 PM7:35 PM11 h 46 min Waning gibbous · 64% lit
Sat6:58 AM7:24 AM7:07 PM7:33 PM11 h 43 min Last quarter · 54% lit
Sun6:59 AM7:25 AM7:06 PM7:32 PM11 h 41 min Last quarter · 43% lit
Mon7:00 AM7:26 AM7:04 PM7:30 PM11 h 38 min Waning crescent · 33% lit
Tue7:01 AM7:27 AM7:03 PM7:29 PM11 h 36 min Waning crescent · 23% lit

Forecast from the National Weather Service forecast grid at api.weather.gov, updated by the local office through the day; the written periods and hourly digest are the NWS’s own. Outlooks from the Storm Prediction Center, the Weather Prediction Center and the Climate Prediction Center via NOAA’s map services. Records and normals from NOAA’s Global Historical Climatology Network. Sun and moon computed here. Place names from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0).

What is here

Seven days
The high, the low, the chance and amount of rain and snow, the wind and the forecaster’s words for each day and night, from the National Weather Service grid for the exact cell your town sits in.
Hour by hour
Temperature, what it feels like, dew point, humidity, chance and amount of precipitation, wind and gusts, sky cover, the chance of thunder, pressure, visibility and ceiling, as a chart and as a table, with nights shaded.
Everything else on the grid
The office edits about sixty fields for every cell. The ones the mainstream forecast pages leave out are here as a daily table: HeatRisk, wet bulb globe temperature, lightning activity, mixing height, transport wind, the fire weather indices, and at the coast the waves and swell.
The discussion
The Area Forecast Discussion the forecaster wrote to explain the forecast, in their own words, with the specialist annexes folded away. Also the office’s hazardous weather outlook.
Beyond the week
The Storm Prediction Center’s severe weather category for each of the next eight days, the Weather Prediction Center’s rainfall forecast to day seven and its winter storm severity, and the Climate Prediction Center’s odds for days six to fourteen, all read at your coordinate.
Against the record
Each forecast day beside the same date at the nearest long-record station: the thirty-year normal and the record high and low with their years, so a forecast high that would break a record says so.
The next 90 days
The forecast as far as the grid, the National Blend and the global models reach, and the calendar after that: the normal and the record for every date, with the Climate Prediction Center’s lean for the weeks, the month and the season drawn over them. No made-up highs for a date three months out.

Common questions

Where does this forecast come from?

From the National Weather Service forecast grid published at api.weather.gov, the same grid the local forecast office edits through the day and the source of every forecast on weather.gov. The written periods, the hourly digest and the forecaster’s discussion are the NWS’s own products, shown as issued. Nothing here is a blend a website made.

How far ahead does it go?

The grid runs seven days ahead, hour by hour for the first days and in three to six hour steps after that. The National Blend of Models carries the days to eleven and the global models to sixteen. Beyond that the page carries the national centers’ outlooks, severe weather to day eight, rainfall to day seven, and the Climate Prediction Center’s odds for the coming weeks, month and season, over a ninety-day calendar of the normal and the record for each date. No forecast has skill day by day past about two weeks, and this page does not print one.

Why is this different from the app on my phone?

Most forecast apps show a blend of models chosen by the company that makes the app. This page shows the forecast the local National Weather Service office issues, edited by the forecasters who will also issue the warnings, and it shows all of it rather than the six numbers that fit on a phone. The discussion explains the reasoning, which no app carries.

What is a place’s address here?

Every town has its own page, such as /forecast/us/oklahoma/oklahoma-city/, and every day at a town has one too. A ZIP code typed into the search goes to the town it belongs to. Any coordinate at all can be looked up, and the page names the nearest town.

What the weather actually was · Open the live radar · Where the data comes from