Richmond is waking to clear skies and temperatures in the low 60s, but the city's brief taste of October is about to disappear: temperatures are forecast to surge to 92 degrees this afternoon. That would likely top the October 14 record of 87 set in 1975.
The National Weather Service's Wakefield office expects sunny skies, a southwest breeze of 3 to 7 mph and unusually warm conditions, according to the National Weather Service forecast discussion. Dry air should keep the heat from feeling quite as oppressive as the thermometer suggests.
One More Summer-Like Afternoon
Sunshine will push temperatures through the 80s by lunchtime and into the low 90s during the midafternoon, with the warmest stretch expected between about 2 and 4 p.m. Skies stay clear into the evening, then turn partly cloudy overnight as temperatures fall to around 66.
No watches, warnings or advisories are posted for the Richmond area. For outdoor plans, Wednesday is the day for water, shade breaks and sunscreen, even if the calendar insists it is already fall.
Thursday Brings Clouds And A Cooler Reset
A cold front will knock temperatures back Thursday, with a slight chance of showers between 8 and 10 a.m. The day should stay mostly cloudy, with a high near 70 and a northeast wind around 8 mph.
Friday briefly rebounds to around 87 under mostly sunny skies, but it will be breezier, with southwest winds that could gust to 25 mph. A few showers may arrive after 2 p.m., followed by a 40% chance of showers Friday night as the bigger temperature drop begins.
That sharp swing builds on the pattern outlined earlier this week in Hoodline's previous Richmond forecast, but the latest update pushes Wednesday's heat higher and Thursday's temperatures lower.
Jackets Return For The Weekend
Saturday looks sunny but much colder, with a high near 60, north winds around 13 to 16 mph and gusts that could reach 25 to 30 mph. Saturday night falls to about 41 before Sunday brings more sunshine and a high near 63.
The cooler run will not last forever: Monday is forecast to reach 68 under sunny skies, followed by a mostly sunny 72 on Tuesday. Richmond gets a record-chasing heat spike, a quick weather whiplash and then a fairly classic fall rebound—all within a few days.
