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Boone Sets Another Record High on Wednesday; 2020 Ray’s Weather Blue Ridge Parkway Calendar Now Available

By Nathan Ham

Boone set yet another record high this fall season, reaching 82.2 degrees at 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon according to data provided by Ray’s Weather Center. That temperature easily beat the previous record of 79 degrees that was set in 1951. 

Other areas across the country reached temperatures even higher than Boone. The town of Seven Devils checked in with a high temperature of 83.9 degrees at 3:52 p.m., Zionville’s temperature made it up to 84.8 degrees at 4:01 p.m., Valle Crucis got to 85.7 degrees at 5:01 p.m. and Warrensville over in neighboring Ashe County had the highest temperature in the area with 86.7 degrees at 3:50 p.m.

West Jefferson peaked at 85.1 degrees, Jefferson got to 84.6 degrees, Newland hit 84.1 degrees, Linville reached 82.1 degrees, Blowing Rock reached a high of 80.9 degrees, Banner Elk got to 80.7 degrees, Sugar Mountain nearly reached 80 with a high of 79.1 degrees and Beech Mountain had a high of 74.8 degrees. 

The unseasonably hot temperatures and the dry weather has been suck over the High Country for well over a month. 

“There are a few things that have been working against us for the late blossoming of unseasonal/record heat. The upper level pattern has more or less been in a west coast trough versus east coast ridge configuration which is not unusual during summer, but it held through September. The west coast trough correlates to wetter conditions in the west and the east coast ridge correlates to dry conditions and shunts frontal passages into the Southeast,” said meteorologist David Still at Ray’s Weather Center. “Once we started to dry out the lack of rain decreased soil moisture causing plants to release less water vapor through a process called transpiration. As less water is released into the atmosphere the dew point temperature lowers allowing for more efficient daytime heating and less humidity. Once that occurs pop-up afternoon showers are limited with a drier atmosphere and we were mainly void of any synoptic forcing (frontal passage) to help the situation or tropical system. The process repeats and reinforces itself and is an example of a positive feedback mechanism. Dry begets dry.”

Looking ahead to this weekend a little beyond that, the weather forecast sure looks like everyone will be treated to some more seasonable, autumn temperatures. High temperatures look to be in the low to mid-60s on Saturday, Sunday and Monday and dropping into the upper 50s on Tuesday. 

“What changes this weekend is the approaching upper level trough centered over the High Plains today flattens and finally dislodges the current Eastern Ridge and we cool down.  However, in many instances of fairly dramatic weather shifts, it gets worse before it gets better. Or another way to say it the current pattern reaches a maxima relative to hot or cold before turning the corner.  In our case, the ‘worse’ part of the equation is a couple more days, today included, of record warm conditions for early October,” Still said. 

High temperatures from across the state

Charlotte – 96

Raleigh – 96

Durham – 96

Greenville – 95

Greensboro – 94

Wilkesboro – 93

Hickory – 93

Winston-Salem – 93

Wilmington – 92

Asheville – 89

 

2020 Blue Ridge Parkway Calendar Now Available

In some brighter weather news, the annual Blue Ridge Parkway Calendar presented by RaysWeather.com is now available for purchase!

The calendar features from terrific photographs taking along the Blue Ridge Parkway, submitted by local photographers. 

Calendars can be purchased at the following locations:

Watauga County
App State Bookstore
Appalachian Healthcare
Be Natural Market
Boone Drug (All locations)
Blowing Rock Welcome Center
Cheap Joe’s
Grandfather Vineyard
High Country Souvenirs
Incredible Toy Company
Shoppes at Farmers
Stick Boy/Stick Boy Kitchen
Todd General Mercantile
Watauga Medical Center

Ashe County
Ashe County Cheese
Bull’s Boots and Western Wear
Mountain Outfitters
Warrensville Drug

Avery County
Cannon Memorial Hospital
Erick’s Cheese & Wine Shop
Fred’s General Mercantile
Mountain Jewelers
Avery Pharmacy
Linville Falls Winery
Crossnore Drug

Buncombe County
Black Dome Mountain Sports
Take A Hike Outfitters

Burke County
East Burke Pharmacy

Caldwell County
Medical Arts Pharmacy

Johnson County Tennessee
Mountain City Pharmacy

Mitchell County
The Orchard at Altapass

Calendars can also be purchased online