Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Blacksburg, VA
Issued by NWS Blacksburg, VA
933 FXUS61 KRNK 312256 AFDRNK Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 656 PM EDT Fri Jul 31 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... Aviation updated. Increased QPF for rainfall latter this weekend and early next week. Potential for 1 to 3 inches of rain especially along and east of the Blue Ridge from late Saturday through Tuesday. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1) Dry through tonight. Daily rainfall chances begin this weekend and continue through early next week. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1: Dry through tonight. Daily rainfall chances begin this weekend and continue through early next week. High pressure will remain over the area through tonight and provide a nice evening for outdoor activities. By Saturday, advection of moisture ahead of an approaching closed upper level low will bring increasing clouds along with the chance for afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. This low is progged to be slow moving and it is forecast to linger for several days, resulting in scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms (both nocturnal and diurnal) for the latter half of the weekend and into early next week. Overall, pattern is not supportive of organized severe, but repetitive slow moving showers and thunderstorms may begin to increase hydro concerns. Precipitable Water values (approaching 2 inches) gives some confidence in this as well. Temperatures next week generally at or slightly below normal. && .AVIATION /00Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... High confidence for VFR through Saturday. Exception will be fog at LWB Saturday morning. Expect southerly winds tomorrow gradually veering more as the afternoon goes on. Speeds of 6 to 9 knots with gusts to 15 to 20 knots. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK... Active weather pattern expected to begin Saturday night and continue through early next week. Low pressure over the upper Midwest is forecast to slowly move east across the Ohio Valley and into the northern Mid-Atlantic Sunday through Tuesday. This will result in an abundance of cloud cover along with scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...None. NC...None. WV...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...BMG/PM/SH AVIATION...PM/SH