Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Blacksburg, VA
Issued by NWS Blacksburg, VA
648 FXUS61 KRNK 271756 AFDRNK Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 1256 PM EST Thu Nov 27 2025 .SYNOPSIS... Blustery conditions will remain into Friday morning as another upper disturbance passes across. High pressure builds across Saturday. Low pressure and associated front brings the next chance of precipitation Saturday night into Sunday, with some wintry mix possible at the onset. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/... As of 1235 PM EST Thursday... Key Messages: 1) Blustery and cold through Friday morning. 2) Some light snow accumulation in the WV mountains late tonight. A lull in the winds this afternoon will pick up again later tonight as another disturbance arrives with more cold advection and a low level jet of 25-40kts. This time, the stronger winds stay above the inversion, so not expecting any gusts over 45 mph. Most will have gusts in the 20-30 mph range. This shortwave, however, does sink further south, and the axis suggests better lift over the WV mountains. Sounding profiles keep the moisture limited, but think there will be 3-6 hr window where snow showers could bring a dusting to possibly as much as 3 inches over the higher ridges of western Greenbrier Valley tonight. Could see a dusting to an inch as far south as Bluefield/Princeton, but with the wind, and cold air, this dry snow will be blowing around a lot. For those heading out shopping early Friday, wind chills are going to drop as low as the single digits above zero to 10 in the mountains, except below zero at elevations above 4000ft. The Piedmont will experience wind chills in the teens. Actual lows will range from the lower to mid 20s over most of the area, with some teens in the mountains. Any snow showers/flurries will exit around noon, with sunshine for most, and winds also weakening later in the afternoon. Still anticipating highs running 15 to 20 degrees below normal, but not quite record breaking. The Piedmont with more sunshine earlier will reach the lower to mid 40s, while the mountains stay around or below freezing. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... As of 1210 PM EST Thursday... Key Messages: 1. Wintry mix of precipitation expected Sunday morning, before transitioning to rain for most. Post-Thanksgiving travelers, use caution on the roads. 2. Below normal temperatures through the weekend. The 500mb trough will begin to flatten Friday night into Saturday morning, with surface high pressure becoming more centered overhead, thus winds will be lessening throughout the overnight. With calmer winds and mostly clear skies, will see low temperatures plummet into the teens in the west, to a few areas of low 20s in the VA and NC Piedmont. Saturday will be slightly warmer, and mostly sunny, before clouds start to fill in Saturday afternoon and evening from the west. A frontal system is progged to track from the central US into the Great Lakes region by Sunday, and drag a cold front into the Appalachians through the day. With temperatures cold enough at the surface and aloft at the onset, will initially see a mix of snow and freezing rain, a general wintry mix, before transitioning to rain, as the warm front lifts north through the area, and gradually warms the atmospheric column to above freezing. This unfortunately comes on one of the busiest travel days of the year, so travelers are encouraged to monitor the forecast and road conditions, even though the greatest impacts from this system will be much farther north. Precipitation looks to continue through Sunday night, tapering off through the overnight. With another cold airmass arriving behind the front, could see some snow mix in with the rain as the front is departing the area, until the moisture moves out of the area. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 1235 PM EST Thursday... Key Messages: 1. Stronger system to arrive Tuesday, with more potential for a wintry mix of precipitation. 2. Dry weather with warmer temperatures after midweek. An area of low pressure develops along a cold front draped along the southern US early in the work week, and moves along the front into the Carolinas and offshore Tuesday and Wednesday. High pressure will be situated over the local area for Monday, though more centered over the northeastern US, with the airmass originating in southern Canada, so keeping temperatures colder than normal for the day. The low will draw moisture up into the area from the Gulf, increasing chances of precipitation as early as Monday night. The relative strength of the surface high and its cold air, versus the arrival of the moisture will influence what precipitation types the area will see. Still plenty of uncertainty, as deterministic models have been varying in the placement of the high pressure as well as the track of the low along the cold front. At this time, the most likely scenario looks to be a period of freezing rain with the arrival of the precipitation for areas along and west of the Blue Ridge, closer to the colder air, and so better potential for the surface and near- surface air to be around freezing. The Alleghany Highlands and part of SE WV may also see some snow mix in. Farther east, into the Foothills and Piedmont, rain is more likely, due to the warmer temperatures out that way. Given this is still several days out, confidence remains low, and could change in future forecast updates. Once the precipitation moves out of the area, may see a bit of snow in the far western mountains as cold air filters back into the region. High pressure builds back in from the west, and drier weather is expected for Wednesday and Thursday. Temperatures start to trend warmer for the middle of the week, to only 3 to 7 degrees or so below normal, highs warming from the mid 30s in the west and upper 40s in the east, to low 40s in the west and low 50s in the east. Monday and Tuesday will still be over 10 degrees colder than normal. && .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 1235 PM EST Thursday... West-northwest winds will stay gusty for most of the period, especially from ROA/BCB west, generally in the 20-25kt range but some gusts over 30kt possible Friday morning. Will see a mid deck moving across this afternoon, then a disturbance brings sub-VFR cigs to the mountains tonight at BLF/LWB with snow showers. At the moment will keep cigs MVFR and vsbys VFR, but cannot rule out brief instances of sub-VFR vsbys in any snow showers. Should see cigs lift and scatter out between 12-18z Friday. .Extended Aviation Outlook... High pressure to provide better aviation weather Friday night into Saturday before another front arrives Sat night into Sunday with a wintry mix to rain event and sub-VFR becoming likely. A reprieve possibly Monday before another low brings wintry mix to rain Tuesday. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...None. NC...None. WV...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...SH/WP NEAR TERM...WP SHORT TERM...AS LONG TERM...AS AVIATION...SH/WP