THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 17, 1997 TAG: 9701180342
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 60 lines
The weather roller coaster is taking its biggest dip yet this winter as the mercury plunges this weekend in Virginia and North Carolina.
Freezing air already was surging eastward Thursday night, accompanied by high winds to make it feel all the colder. In Hot Springs, Va., where the high was 34 Thursday, the temperature was down to 7 by 6 p.m. Winds gusting to 41 mph made it feel like it was 39 below zero.
In Blacksburg, it was 21 with a wind-chill reading of 12 below zero.
``There's just some really nasty conditions,'' said Jeff Morrow, a meteorologist with The Weather Channel in Atlanta. ``When you factor in those winds, you get those temperatures down to dangerously low levels.''
We're not shivering alone, however. Most of the nation is under this rush of cold air from the Arctic. Freeze warnings have been posted as far south as Florida.
In Virginia and North Carolina, temperatures will struggle just to get to freezing through Monday near the coast while, further inland, the mercury may remain below freezing throughout the period.
And in central and western Virginia, even lower temperatures combined with strong, gusty winds will create dangerously cold wind-chill conditions.
``The air mass that is moving into the region will be colder than the one that invaded earlier in the week,'' the National Weather Service said Thursday. ``Expect it to feel like 25 to 35 below zero across the higher elevations by daybreak'' today while, east of the mountains through Central Virginia, ``wind chills will range from 10 to 20 below zero.''
Closer to home, a wind chill advisory is in effect for Northampton, Bertie, Gates and Hertford counties in northeastern North Carolina early today.
``Wind chills of 10 to 15 below are expected over portions of northeast North Carolina,'' said Bryan Cullen, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Wakefield. ``Locations along the immediate coast will fare best, as the marine influence aids in keeping temperatures up just a few degrees over their inland neighbors.''
An arctic front sweeping east, combined with a deep southerly dip in the Jet stream, has opened the door to the cold air. Additionally, the circulation patterns around a high pressure system over the west and a low pressure system to the east are combining to help pull more cold air from Canada into the lower 48.
Here's the Hampton Roads forecast:
Today: Mostly sunny, windy and cold with a high in the mid 30s and westerly winds at 15 to 25 mph.
Tonight: Clear and cold with a low around 20 and westerly winds at 10 to 20 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny with a high in the lower 30s. The overnight low should be in the upper teens.
Sunday: Increasing cloudiness and very cold with a high near freezing and a low overnight in the upper teens.
Monday: Variably cloudy, blustery and cold with a high in the low 30s and a low in the upper teens or lower 20s.
If you must go outside, dress appropriately. Layers of clothing are favored over one thick layer, because they trap air, which acts as an insulator. Wear a hat since much body heat is lost through the head. Try to keep as much flesh covered as possible.