The Charleston Gazette

Fay Leaves...Sunshine Returns...

Former Tropical Storm Fay may have controlled our weather the past few days, but it sure didn't seem very tropical around here! Persistent clouds and showers kept the temperature on the cool side, with highs only in the 70s. But now that the system is pulling away from the region, high pressure has taken over again which brought back sunshine and much warmer temperatures. Charleston came in with a high temperature of 87 degrees, while Huntington topped out at 86 degrees. No rain was reported at either city, but Elkins received .18" on Friday. The one caveat we have coming this way through the Labor Day Holiday Weekend will be a cold front which will pass through the region on Saturday. The front could set off a few showers, mainly Saturday afternoon and evening. However, moisture doesn't look very abundant with this system so any rainfall amounts will be light, in the range of a tenth of an inch or less.

Tonight will bring partly cloudy skies, which will allow the temperature to drop far enough to condense the moisture left from the recent rains into a layer of dense fog which will last through early Saturday morning. Friday morning started out with visibilities around a quarter mile, and we should be looking at a similar scenario on Saturday. The overnight low temperature will drop to 64 degrees. Saturday will see the sun pop out fairly quick in the morning, with the temperature making it up to 87 degrees. Conditions should be very nice for the Regatta Parade, which starts in downtown Charleston at 11:00 AM. The Eyewitness Storm Team will be well represented at the event, with both Doug Harlow and myself planning on walking the parade route. Please come out and say hello! The cold front will take its time coming through the area so there could be some showers late in the afternoon or in the early evening hours. This could mean a few raindrops at both the WVU and Marshall football games. Other than that, conditions should be very nice for some summer time football!

The rest of the holiday weekend should be mostly sunny and very warm. Sunday will see high pressure take over which will mean mostly sunny skies and a high temperature of 86 degrees. The temperature will drop just a bit because of the cooler air moving in behind the front. Labor Day Monday will also be mostly sunny, with the high temperature climbing to 89 degrees. People planning on outdoor activities should remember to include some sunscreen in their plans, along with plenty of fluids to drink to offset the effects of the strong early September sun.

Back to work and school Tuesday will also be sunny and hot as the high pressure ridge digs in. The high temperature will make it up to 90 degrees. The heat wave will continue on Wednesday and Thursday as well. With plenty of sunshine, Wednesday will hit a sizzling 90 degrees and Thursday will go a notch warmer, climbing up to a toasty 91 degrees.

As the high moves away a bit, Friday will see a few clouds with the temperature cooling just a bit down to a high of 87 degrees. An approaching cold front will mean partly to mostly cloudy skies with the high temperature taking another slight dip on Saturday down to 85 degrees. The cold front will push in some warmer air ahead of it on Sunday, which will mean a high temperature of 87 degrees despite mostly cloudy skies with a chance of showers and storms. Next Monday will be mostly cloudy with more showers and a high temperature of 88 degrees.

One Final Note: Thursday was completely cloudy from sunrise to sunset, with absolutely no sunshine reported all day. That is the first completely cloudy day we have seen in Charleston since May 15th, a 105 day stretch with at least some sunshine reported every day! That was also only the seventeenth completely cloudy day we have seen all year in Charleston.

CHARLESTON AREA
7 DAY E X T E N D E D FORECAST

SAT
AUG 30