Dreary days

01/19/12, 2 pm, facing south

01/20/12, 2 pm, facing south

Here are the skies beginning with a cold front on Thursday, January 19th through the fog and mist of today, January 23rd. We've had overcast, rainy skies and very warm weather on Thursday, cool on Friday, and cold on Saturday and Sunday.

The system began on Thursday, January 19th with mixed cirrus and cumulus clouds and partly sunny conditions. On Friday, January 20th, the masses of cumulus clouds rolled in allowing brief glimpses of blue sky and sunshine. The warmth of previous days began to chill.

01/21/12, 5:30 pm, looking northwest

By Saturday, January 21st, the sky was completely overcast with boiling, moving cumulus clouds low in the atmosphere. This sunset painting manages to show the colors soaked into the cumulus sponge. The cold was here at last with sleet and mixed ice and rain.

On Sunday, January 22nd, we had light rain and mist all day. The temperature range was very small; the high was 35 degrees F and the low was 33.

01/22/12, 4 pm, facing northwest

01/23/12, 2 pm, facing any direction

Monday, January 23rd dawned in the dark. Central Virginia was completely socked in with fog and mist. A warming trend means temperatures are forecast for the low 50's--almost 20 degrees warmer than yesterday. But, it never rose above 41 degrees, remaining cool, damp and dreary all day. Dismal indeed!