By Nathan Ham
The workweek has started off with nothing but clouds and rain in the High Country, with heavy rains and wind picking up as the day goes along.
A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for Ashe, Watauga, Wilkes and Avery counties until 2 a.m. Tuesday and a Wind Advisory is in effect for Ashe and Watauga counties until 2 a.m. Tuesday with winds gusting up to 50 MPH and winds steady between 15 and 25 MPH.
Rain totals for Monday and Tuesday are expected to reach between 2.5 and 3.5 inches of rain, according to the latest forecast from Ray’s Weather Center. Locally higher amounts of up to five inches of rain are possible along the Blue Ridge.
Temperatures will also remain considerably cooler with high temperatures struggling to get to 50 degrees on Monday and an expected high of just 54 on Tuesday.
The weather improves as the week goes on. There will be a chance of some scattered showers through the rest of the workweek but temperatures will be warmer in the upper 50s and lower 60s. The weekend is shaping up to be a great one in the High Country with his in the lower 60s on Saturday and the mid-60s on Sunday with no rain in the forecast for either day.
This week last year also saw a similar rain storm roll through the area. On April 24, 2017 the high temperature in Boone was just 45 degrees and 2.77 inches of rain fell after almost an inch of rain fell the day before. Temperatures warmed up a lot faster last year with highs getting up to 75 degrees by the weekend.
For up-to-date weather information, check out Ray’s Weather Center.