Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Blacksburg, VA
Issued by NWS Blacksburg, VA
024 FXUS61 KRNK 251900 AFDRNK Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 200 PM EST Tue Nov 25 2025 .SYNOPSIS... Rain showers to continue into Wednesday as a result of an approaching front. A strong cold front moves across the region Wednesday night and much colder air will arrive for Thanksgiving Day. Cool and dry conditions remain in place through Saturday. Rain chances return by Sunday as another low pressure system approaches the region. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... As of 1245 PM EST Tuesday... Key Messages: 1) Rain through this afternoon and evening. More intermittent showers through the overnight. 2) Clearing conditions on Wednesday with a strong cold front passage. First frontal boundary remains well to the west across western TN and KY, with a stronger secondary front currently over the Central Plains. Ahead of the front, warm air advection has resulted in ongoing rain showers across the area, which are expected to continue into the overnight hours. Rain will come in waves and a steady falling rain looks unlikely...rain looks to be more showery. Any thunder seems unlikely as well, with most convection staying well to the south over Georgia and Alabama. Rainfall amounts have been lowered from previous forecasts, with amounts generally 0.50" or less through Wednesday morning. A much stronger front will pass across the region on Wednesday afternoon/evening. This will bring a much colder airmass into the region. Still expecting strong warm air advection ahead of this front, thus afternoon highs east of the mountains are likely to reach into the 60s and low 70s. Not much moisture associated with the frontal passage, but a few showers cannot be ruled out. Overall, looks to be a dry frontal passage. Temperatures quickly drop after sunset and winds will become increasingly gusty. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... As of 130 PM EST Tuesday... Key Message: 1) Windy and turning colder into Thanksgiving. During this period, expect a change to winter, just in time for Thanksgiving and Black Friday shopping. A deep trough will set up across the east during this time. A strong low level jet coupled with robust cold advection will lead to some winds gusting over 30-35 mph Wed evening into Thursday. Ensembles suggest probabilities of 75-100 percent of wind advisory levels in the High Country of NC and the higher ridges of SE WV/SW VA Wed evening. Will await more model data this evening but a wind advisory looks like it will be needed for those areas for Wed night into Thanksgiving morning. Airmass will be very dry, though upslope clouds with some vorticity lobes could bring some snowflakes to the WV mountains northwest of Lewisburg Wed night, but not anticipating any accumulations. Temperatures will drop into the 20s Wed night with lower 30s east, but only rise to the mid 30s to near 40 in the mountains Thanksgiving, with 40s east. Cold air persists with lows in the teens Friday night as winds relax under high pressure. Those heading out early Friday morning will be greeted by temperatures in the 20s, wind chills in the single digits in the mountains and teens in the Piedmont. Confidence in the above weather scenario is moderate. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 115 PM EST Tuesday... Key Messages: 1. Brief period of a mix of snow, sleet, and/or freezing rain possible Saturday night. 2. Trending warmer through the period, but still several degrees below normal. Surface high pressure will remain overhead through at least Saturday, and the deep trough established over the eastern US starts to flatten out. A low pressure system develops over the central US and tracks northeastward towards the Ohio Valley region by Sunday. The weekend will start mostly sunny, though cloud cover will increase with increasing moisture late Saturday, ahead of the next approaching system. With below normal temperatures still over the region, so could see a few hours of a mix of wintry precipitation Sunday morning, with the approach of the cold front, before precipitation changes to mainly rain. Forecast soundings show a decent layer of dry air from the surface to the mid levels, so any precipitation will need to overcome the dry layer before reaching the ground, so may not begin until after sunrise. This may impact any post- Thanksgiving travel plans, so travelers are encouraged to keep an eye on the forecast over the weekend. A brief period of dry conditions comes during the beginning of the work week, before the next system reaches the area, approaching more from the south, with precipitation reaching the southern Blue Ridge initially, then spreading to the rest of the forecast area. Could see periods of freezing rain as temperatures hover around the freezing mark Monday night/Tuesday morning, and again Tuesday night. Some uncertainty exists in the timing of this system, which will influence the precipitation types expected. Saturday looks to be the coldest day of the period, as high temperatures stay in the low to mid 40s in the east, and upper 30s to low 40s in the west, and lows in the 20s areawide Saturday night/Sunday morning. Temperatures start to trend warmer after that, with increasing southerly flow, highs rising into the lows 40s to low 50s and lows in the 30s. Though trending warmer, these temperatures are still below seasonal normals. && .AVIATION /19Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... As of 100 PM EST Tuesday... Mixed flight categories this afternoon, but most sub-VFR still remaining across the mountains. Intermittent rainfall expected through at least daybreak Wednesday, thus have kept mention of -RA or -SHRA for all TAF locations. Low cigs the biggest concern overnight, where most terminals will drop below VFR for a period of time. Gradual improvements on Wednesday late in the period with terminals slowly returning back to VFR as clouds erode through late morning and into early afternoon. Some wind shear is noted through early Wednesday, as a result of a strong low level jet overhead. .Extended Aviation Outlook... High pressure will begin to settle into the region behind the passing front on Wednesday. This will bring a return to VFR conditions for all TAF sites through Saturday. Another system could potentially bring sub-VFR back into the region by Sunday. Northwest winds will become gusty Wednesday night and remain elevated through Friday. Strongest winds will occur late Wednesday night through Thursday morning. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...None. NC...None. WV...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...BMG NEAR TERM...BMG SHORT TERM...WP LONG TERM...AS AVIATION...BMG