RICHMOND, Va. -- Arctic air has moved into the region, and the coldest weather is expected Thursday morning. Daybreak lows will drop into the single digits and teens.
These will be the coldest temperatures since last January 7.
Wind speeds will not be strong, but they will be enough to produce winds chills near or below zero. Wind chill advisories are in effect for a large part of the state.
The arctic air is very dry, so when that air comes inside and gets heated, the indoor relative humidity is extremely low. If you are not running a humidifier and have your heat set at 70°, your indoor relative humidity Wednesday afternoon was around 11%.
As the core of the dry and arctic air is in place Thursday, the indoor relative humidity will be around 2%. Typically, you want the indoor humidity to be above 30% and below 40%. Not only will this get rid of static electricity and dry nasal passages, but the moisture will make the heat feel warmer.
A huge warm-up is expected over the week ahead. Temperatures will return to around 60° on Sunday and will be around 70° Tuesday and Wednesday. Colder air is expected late next week, but it will not be as cold as the current air mass.
The normal high for this point of the year is in the upper 40s.
Stay With CBS 6, The Weather Authority.
