We're waking up to the first of May with mostly sunny skies and a high of 69, southwest winds light and variable. It's a soft spring morning — the kind that doesn't demand a jacket by 10am. Tonight dips to 45 under gathering clouds, but for now, the day is open and clear.
The Taubman Museum is open 10 to 5 today, and the current exhibitions — including the regional contemporary show in the second-floor galleries — are worth an hour if you're starting indoors. Center in the Square's Science Museum is open until 5 as well, and the butterfly garden on the third floor is in full swing. If you're looking for evening plans, the Showtimers are running a musical revue at 7:30pm at the Grandin Theatre — a shorter, lighter option for a Friday night.
This is greenway weather. The Roanoke River Greenway from Wasena Park to Green Hill Park is a flat, shaded 3-mile walk, and you'll have company today — runners, cyclists, dogs. If you want elevation, Mill Mountain is a 20-minute drive and the overlook trail to the star is a quick half-mile with a view that never gets old. Pack a layer for the summit; it's always a few degrees cooler up there.
Tomorrow shifts: clouds move in overnight, and by Saturday morning there's a 20% chance of light rain after 8am. Highs only reach 61, and the breeze turns northwest. It's not a washout, but it's a different day — more library than greenway, more coffee than patio.
Downstairs at the flats, RND Coffee opens at 7am if you need an early start, and A Few Old Goats taps the first pint at 4pm. The courtyard faces west, so late afternoon sun hits the tables along the brick wall. Tonight's the night to use it — tomorrow may not cooperate.