The weather ups and downs of the last couple of days will level out for Friday and the weekend.
The last time Richmond did not get above 80 degrees was May 26, just before Memorial Day weekend, but the clouds and the east winds kept the city in the low 70s Thursday — quite an accomplishment, considering the normal high for the date is 88 degrees.
Sunny and seasonably warm this weekend
The soaking rain that came with the storms Wednesday benefited the water tables, and the rainfall total so far this month is right in line with the normal total for June.
Friday starts with morning clouds, but northwest winds will start to bring in much drier air, yielding more sunshine for the afternoon as temperatures return to the 80s.
Saturday and Sunday will warm up further, into the upper 80s and lower 90s each afternoon, meaning Virginia will be spared any truly stifling heat this weekend. Both days bring a good amount of sunshine to mix with fair weather clouds, and humidity levels will be tolerable for the end of June.
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If there is ever a time to remember sunscreen, it’s this weekend. The sun reaches its annual highest point in the sky, so sunburn can develop in under 30 minutes.
The next good chance of rain comes Monday, as a new system approaches from the west, bringing a healthy scattering of showers and thunderstorms. A repeat of Wednesday, however, is not likely.
Beyond that time frame, there are hints of a hotter start to the Independence Day weekend, with afternoon temperatures creeping into the mid-90s for a couple of days.
There are also indications of a tropical disturbance taking shape in the distant eastern Atlantic Ocean. However, this is in the deep tropical Atlantic, meaning it is very far south in the development zone (south of 10 degrees north latitude).
Forming so far south means any developing storm would have a difficult time turning enough north to impact the United States or the Gulf of Mexico. So, there is no reason to make any changes to beach plans or even to worry about it for a while. For now, it’s best to wait until early next week to see if it truly comes together at all.
