The morning sky over the Blue Ridge glows faintly pink against frosted fields and calm air near freezing. It’s a quiet start — but Southwest Virginia is heading into a fast-moving weather swing that will shift from late-fall warmth to a taste of early winter within 72 hours.
Today remains crisp and bright with highs in the lower 60s. Light winds out of the southwest will add a touch of warmth ahead of a developing system tracking east. That system brings rain Friday evening into early Saturday, with gusts approaching 20 mph and only light rainfall totals — most areas will see less than a tenth of an inch.
Saturday clears quickly under mostly sunny skies, offering one of the last mild stretches of the month with highs near 65°F. But behind that brief break lies a sharper cold push. Clouds build again Sunday, and scattered rain returns during the afternoon, transitioning to a rain-and-snow mix Sunday night as colder air spills into the New River Valley.
By Monday morning, highs will struggle to reach 40°F, and flurries could briefly coat higher elevations from Giles to Floyd counties. Roads along I-81 and Route 460 may turn slick early, especially near the mountain passes.
The chill deepens Monday night, with lows near 23°F signaling the start of a true November cold snap. Veterans Day turns sunny but brisk, with highs in the upper 30s to low 40s — a reminder that winter’s first hints have arrived early across Virginia’s high country.
Residents should prepare for freezing mornings, frosty windshields, and possible early flakes as the region’s late-autumn calm gives way to its first brush with winter.
