Norfolk is in for a summer-like Friday before the weather takes a sharp turn after dark. Patchy morning fog should give way to sunshine and a high near 88, but showers and gusty winds arrive Friday night, setting up a much cooler and blustery Saturday.
Fog Clears Before An Unseasonably Hot Afternoon
Patchy fog is expected between about 8 and 9 a.m. Friday, followed by mostly sunny skies through the afternoon. Southwest winds of 5 to 13 mph could gust to 21 mph as temperatures climb into the upper 80s, roughly 15 to 20 degrees above normal for mid-October.
Dry weather should hold through the daylight hours, making Friday the better window for outdoor plans. The heat will not last long, though, with a strong cold front moving in later in the evening.
Showers And Stronger Gusts Arrive Friday Night
Showers are possible Friday night as the front passes, with little, if any, thunder.
Forecasters say wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph or more could develop in parts of the region late Friday night into Saturday morning. The overall severe-weather threat is expected to remain low for most of the area, but residents should secure loose outdoor items before the front arrives.
Saturday Brings A Cold, Wet Reality Check
Saturday will be dramatically cooler, with rain showers, mostly cloudy skies and a high near 60. North winds of 16 to 22 mph may gust as high as 35 mph, and rainfall totals could reach between a tenth and a quarter of an inch.
Saturday night brings rain chances that continue into Sunday. Sunday improves somewhat with mostly sunny skies and a high near 62, although a slight chance of showers remains and northeast winds will continue to run above 20 mph.
Strong Northeast Winds Bring Rough Conditions
Rain may linger into next week, while northeast winds continue over local marine waters.
Strong northeast winds are forecast. Marine Gale Warnings are in effect for much of the local waters beginning Saturday, so boaters should expect rough conditions and stay tuned for updates.
Norfolk’s Flood-Planning Priorities
The City of Norfolk’s flooding studies say the city is vulnerable to increasing storm and flooding severity associated with relative sea-level rise.
According to the City of Norfolk’s 2021 resilience planning overview, the Hampton Roads Hazard Mitigation Plan prioritizes protection projects in severe repetitive-loss areas, which often house the city’s most vulnerable residents. The overview also names Chesterfield Heights in Mitigation Action 12.
