Gas prices were up, and so were the temperature and humidty (pictures below) over this past weekend in Roanoke.

I may go so far as to call the former the Gas Price Panic of 2008 in Roanoke. By the time I left work in the early evening on Friday, all gas stations I passed were jam packed with at least 2-3 car deep lines waiting to fill-up. I had never seen anything like it before.

Normally, out of habit, I keep my tank at a minimum of 1/2 full at all times. This is partly for pyschological reasons so when I see the total on the pump I’m not shocked at the huge amount. Also, by just keeping plenty of gas in the car it’s one less thing to worry about in my busy life. I have a smaller car and only about a 12-gallon tank anyways.

But, I was scheduled to go out of town this weekend and had let the gasoline gauge fall to below 1/4 of a tank. Big mistake.

So, I just went home, fixed dinner and went about my normal business.

Later in the evening around midnight I went back out and managed to fill-up at the Sheetz at the corner of Apperson Drive and Electric Road. At that time they only had the 87 grade and for $3.79. I didn’t have to wait in line but most of the pumps were kept busy.

On Saturday, I traveled to Covington and along the way don’t recall any gas station being out of gas completely. As in with blank price signs or grocery bags on the pump handles. And most of them were $3.79-3.99 with no lines or anything.

I wonder why things seemed to go so crazy in the Roanoke area? I certainly hope no one paid anything in the $4 or higher range!

We also had a real hot and hazy day yesterday in Roanoke. I had nearly retired my A/C unit for the year and had to crank it back up. That machine probably ended up getting more work this past weekend then it had the whole previous week.

But, it looks like things will be cooling off now.

I’m ready.

 Here are a couple pictures I took yesterday while driving to Salem.

Clear view to the mountains in the background as seen when traveling on Brandon Avenue towards Salem. (9/14/08)

Apperson Drive in Salem, VA. (9/14/08)

The past couple days around Roanoke have been a bit dreary, and even gloomy. Rain off and on and clouds covering the sky. (I’ve been spoiled by a lot of the sunshine this summer.)

A cloudy day looking over to downtown Roanoke from I-581/Route 220. The new art museum seen in the middle. (9/10/08)

A wide angle view looking towards downtown Roanoke from 1-581/Route 220. (9/10/08)

All in all, over the past couple weeks I think we’ve made up for the several weeks before which led many to worry about potential drought conditions.

Fall is coming, both slowly and surely. However, this weekend is supposed to be really nice with highs in the upper 80s, perhaps the last, warmest days of the year.

Afterwards, the change of the helm from Summer to Autumn is not too far away. I love the summertime, but I’m ready for it to cool off a little bit.

How about you?

Another rather beautiful and pleasant week in Roanoke.

I’m not a meteorologist, but I’m also not sure how anyone could consider a scene like the photo below as “Partly Cloudy” outside. I just don’t think those few scattered clouds meet the minimum requirement.

This would surely have to fall into the “Mostly Sunny” category, what do you think?

Looking out onto 1-581/Route 220 from a bridge near the intersection of Brandon and Colonial Avenues. (9/3/08)

Last week I wrote about moderately dry temperatures in the Roanoke area, and increasingly in the media I’ve heard the word “drought” thrown around. All the while in the meantime some of our fellow states in the southeast have been receiving multiple inches of rain.

Now, it’s our turn here in Roanoke.

As early as Monday evening I noticed the wind picking up and a slight cooling of the temperatures outside. And in the weather forecast, those typical 30-50% chance of precipitation days had changed to 100%.

And later in the afternoon yesterday the rain began.

Tropical Storm Fay has reached southwest Virginia, at least some substantial remnants of it. And, along with the storm is quite a soaking rainfall for the entire Roanoke Valley.

Until last night I had nearly forgotten what it’s like to be lulled to sleep by the constant and consistent, and suprisingly pleasant, sound of raindrops hitting the roof above.

And, I can almost hear a collective “sigh” from all of the area’s vegetation.

But, all of this rain does mean at least 1-2 more grass mowings are to be expected before the Fall…

Over the past several weeks, and really throughout the current season, we’ve experienced relatively minimal amounts of rainfall around Roanoke. There was at brief downpour at my house (Virginia Heights neighborhood) late last week right about dusk, but other than that I can’t remember the last time we received a noticeable amount of rain in the area.

It’s probably been at least a few weeks or more.

And as a result I haven’t mowed my yard yet this month, and not for a good 30 days. The last time I did mow I think I nearly burned it out so I’ve been hesitant to mow again unless rain is in the forecast.

And, according to WDBJ7 on the 7 day Planner (8/20/08), a high chance  of precipitation is not expected for the next several days.

I have no research or stats to back this up, but it doesn’t feel like a drought out there. But, it’s certainly on the dry side.

What do you think?

For at least the next 7 days (according to the extended forecast by WDBJ7 as of 8/7/08) we’re not supposed to hit the 90s in temperature highs around Roanoke. Today is supposed to be the warmest at 85, then it starts dipping down into the lower 80s for the next several days.

And I even see some 50s (brrr!) in there for a couple overnight lows this weekend.

Summer still has about 6 weeks left and plenty of time to give us some more hot, and even hazy days. But, it seems like the temperature and humidity is starting to lessen ever so slightly.

My already sparingly used A/C unit is beginning to take a few more unscheduled breaks, and I can almost hear the rumbling of a school bus outside my window in the morning.

Well, I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself I suppose, since as a child I always cherished the last remaining time of summer.

Though, it does seem like this summer has been relatively mild and fairly pleasant, even if a bit on the dry side.

What do you think?

A week ago there was a heat wave and now the temperatures are very much back down to a normal range.

For the past couple days I’ve been waking up to crisp, but not cold, mornings. The high temperatures for the day have been around the low 80s, and the humidity hasn’t been much of a factor at all really.

This is the kind of spring season in Roanoke that I’m used to experiencing.

Now, if I could only find a way to leave the office and enjoy some of the beautiful weather…

Over the past several days here in Roanoke we’ve all been experiencing first hand the idea of a heat wave.

To me, the days of super high temperatures are simply a series of what I call scorchers where no place outside is safe from the heat. Even while just standing in the shade of a tree I’m sweating!

Then light brown spots begin to increasingly appear in non-watered lawns, and as a result I’ve only mowed my yard once in the past few weeks.

And, after several days like this I’ve even temporarily forgotten the concept of cold weather. I can’t picture ice anywhere but in the freezer, nor anything resembling a cold breeze coming from anywhere other than the floor vent. (Yeah, I finally gave in and turned on the A/C.)

Since all of the heat came upon us after just a couple days into June, I get the idea that Mother Nature doesn’t seem to pay any mind to it still being a couple weeks away from the summer season. If the past few days are any indication of what is to come then I think it’s safe to say we’re in for a bunch of sunshine.

Gotta love it, though. Of course, it may be nice to “cool” off a little bit, say back down to the 80s!