National Weather Service: Rain chances reach 90% by Tuesday afternoon across Montgomery County, Radford, and Christiansburg. Isolated thunderstorms possible with gusty winds and small hail.
If you live near Virginia Tech or drive U.S. 460 or Interstate 81 regularly, the next 72 hours demand your attention. Southwest Virginia is entering one of its most unsettled stretches of the spring — and the timing couldn’t be trickier, with evening commutes and early morning travel sitting right in the crosshairs of repeated storm activity.
Mist and damp pavement already lingered across the New River Valley Monday morning, but the brief lull won’t hold. Showers and thunderstorms are expected through at least Wednesday, with the heaviest rounds most likely during the warmest part of each afternoon and again after dark.
“Patchy fog may redevelop late tonight into Monday morning across lower valleys and rural roads west of Blacksburg.”
— National Weather Service forecast
What’s Driving the Storms
The culprit is a stalled frontal boundary stretching from the Southeast into the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic, pulling warm, humid air north from the Gulf of Mexico. That moisture is colliding with the Appalachians — a recipe for repeated storm development that meteorologists say will keep southwest Virginia locked in unsettled conditions through at least midweek.
The larger pattern across the eastern United States is described as unusually active for late May. While widespread severe weather is not expected, isolated stronger cells could still produce gusty winds and small hail during peak heating hours each afternoon.
Mon 76°F Showers & storms likely
Tue77°F 90% rain — peak risk
Wed 78°F Chance of showers
Thu 80°F Scattered showers, some sun
Fri 77°F Chance of showers
How to Stay Safe This Week
- Allow extra drive time on mountain roads — visibility can drop fast inside heavier downpours.
- Watch for fog in lower valleys and rural roads west of Blacksburg, especially late night and early morning.
- Monitor local alerts from the National Weather Service — isolated storms can intensify quickly.
- Keep rain gear handy through at least Wednesday — brief dry spells will be followed by more showers.
The good news: relief is on the horizon. Drier air is expected to filter in by late week, and temperatures will climb to a pleasant near 80°F by Thursday — making for a much more manageable end to what promises to be a soggy stretch through the New River Valley.
