Weekend Weather Woes and Wows

You can tell it is springtime just by looking at all the events going on across the region. From charity walks to track and field meets and from prom marches to parades, it is indeed an “eventful” weekend ahead. That said,folks want to know when and where it is going to rain.

THE WOWS (Events)

For example, on the Mound in South Charleston all that matters is the 12 until 1 period on Saturday when members of the Armed Services are honored with a parade through town.

If you are a Huntington or Matewan High senior, your prom march on Saturday evening is just as important. Can you imagine the turmoil a sudden downpour would cause at just the wrong time? Ladies hairdos could be ruined and expensive tuxedos and gowns could be soaked.

Coach Carrie Cline’s youth soccer team is undefeated in the Y league and frankly, the coach has her girls in such shape that I don’t think they care, rain or shine!

My dear friend Donna May is promoting the reenactment of the Matewan Massacre outside the Depot Restaurant on Saturday. There are two showdowns at 11A and 3P. This 1920 battle of coal miners and mine owner hired detectives left 11 people dead on the streets of Matewan.

In Point Pleasant, the Siege of Fort Randolph will commemorate Chief Cornstalk’s death during this legendary post Revolutionary War Battle in 1778 . The day’s activities begin at 9 AM with the 2 PM battle. No doubt there will be a few scalpings as part of the drama!

At Laidley Field in Charleston, the West Virginia State High School Track and Field Meet has set up shop with a Saturday finale.

THE WOES (weather)

Folks, if I knew when and where it would rain, I would be making millions on Wall Street. Instead, I have an opinion on the rain this weekend. As always, I ask you check with our updated forecasts and 3D Doppler Radar scans as we track and time the rains arrival and departure.

My Friday night forecast for Saturday is for a dry morning with sun giving way to afternoon clouds. Then in the 3 until 6 PM time period, showers will approach the Ohio Valley then work their way into the Kanawha Valley and Coalfield region just after that.

That means a shower risk in the afternoon at Kings Isle in Cincy and at the Columbus Zoo. Those showers, assuming they hold together, would rain in the Parkersburg to Huntington to Portsmouth area between 4 and 6 ish. Then after 6 PM, showers would approach the Corridor G zone from Charleston to Logan to Pikeville.

Showers are likely for 1 to 3 hours Saturday evening then another 1 to 3 hours on Sunday morning. No severe weather is expected.

PREAKNESS UPDATE

Friday rains will be long gone by Saturday dawn and with a strong wind blowing and the sun shining brightly in Baltimore, the track will be lightning fast for the Preakness . Pimlico post time temperature will be near 70 with a 25 mile per hour wind perhaps raising some dust.

Our coverage of the Preakness Stakes begins at 4:30 with the post parade around 6 to the tune of Maryland, My Maryland. Given Big Brown is a 1 to 2 fav, it would be hard to predict any other horse to wear the garland of Black Eyed Susan.