Meteorologist Myles Henderson’s First Warning Forecast
Another chance for rain and storms… A stationary front will remain over the region today. We will see a mix of clouds today with scattered showers and storms. Rain chances will build through the day, with the highest chances this afternoon to early evening. Severe storms are not expected but heavy downpours could result in localized flooding. Highs will warm into the mid and upper 80s, near normal for this time of year. Humidity will be high so it will feel like the 90s.
Hurricane Gert will stay off of the NC coast today but will kick up rough surf and a high risk for rip currents. Expect red flags to be up along VA and NC beaches. The rain, clouds, and wind from Gert will stay over the Atlantic.
More sunshine will mix in and rain chances will drop for Wednesday and Thursday. Highs will warm into the low 90s for the end of the week. Rain and storm chances will go up for Friday and the weekend as a cold front moves in.
Today: Mix of Clouds, Scattered Showers/Storms (60%). Highs in the mid 80s. Winds: Light & Variable
Tonight: Mostly Cloudy, Scattered Showers/Storms (40%). Lows in the mid 70. Winds: S/N 5-10
Tomorrow: Partly Sunny, Isolated Showers (20%). Highs in the mid 80s. Winds: N/E 5-10
Weather & Health
Pollen: Low-Moderate (Ragweed, Grasses)
UV Index: 8 (Very High)
Air Quality: Moderate (Code Yellow)
Mosquitoes: Extreme
Tropical Update
Gert becomes the second hurricane of the season. Hurricane Gert is centered about 450 miles west of Bermuda and moving north at 12 mph. A turn toward the northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected later today. Maximum sustained winds remain near 75 mph with higher gusts. Gert has the opportunity to gather some strength later today or Wednesday.
Swells generated by Gert will spread northward along the east coast of the United States from North Carolina to Long Island during the next couple of days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
5:00 AM EDT Tue Aug 15
Location: 31.8°N 72.5°W
Moving: N at 12 mph
Min pressure: 986 mb
Max sustained: 75 mph
We are watching an elongated area of low pressure located several hundred miles WSW of the Cabo Verde Islands. Only slow development is anticipated during the next day or two, but conditions are forecast to become a little more conducive for tropical cyclone formation by later in the week while the system moves westward at about 15 mph over the tropical Atlantic.
* Formation chance through 48 hours: Low (20%)
* Formation chance through 5 days: Medium (60%)
Hurricane Tracker
Today in Weather History (NWS Wakefield)
August 15th
1992 F0 Tornado: Virginia Beach
1992 F1, F0 Tornadoes: Currituck Co, NC
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