Ninety degrees with morning thunder, then mostly sunny through the afternoon. Showers and storms roll through before 9am — brief, scattered, the kind that leave wet pavement and cooler air for an hour. After that, sun breaks through and the temperature climbs. West wind gusts to 21 mph, keeping things from feeling completely stagnant. Another chance of storms tonight after 8pm, but the middle of the day stays dry. It's a split personality Tuesday — dodge the early weather, enjoy the clearing, keep an eye on the evening sky.
The Taubman Museum is open 10am to 5pm today — modern art galleries, rotating exhibits, air conditioning that earns its keep on a 90-degree afternoon. The History Museum of Western Virginia is also open same hours, five minutes on foot, with O. Winston Link photography upstairs and regional archives that put Roanoke's rail history in context. Both museums close at five, so the window's there if you move before mid-afternoon. Big Lick Brewing is seven minutes away on foot — check their calendar for food trucks, but the taproom's open regardless.
The Roanoke River Greenway is the outdoor move today — paved, mostly shaded, five-minute walk from the flats. Eleven miles of flat trail along the river, good for bikes or a post-breakfast walk before the heat settles in. Mill Mountain Star Trail is the climb if you want elevation — 25 minutes on foot to the trailhead, then switchbacks up to the star and views that span the valley. Go early or wait until evening when the storms clear. Carvins Cove is a short drive north if you want more distance and the reservoir breeze — 12,000 acres, trails that range from easy to technical.
Wednesday previews at 88° with partly sunny skies and a 30% chance of afternoon storms between 2pm and 5pm. Similar pattern, slightly cooler high, same gusts. The unsettled stretch continues through midweek — plan indoor options for late afternoon, outdoor moves for morning or evening.
At the flats, A Few Old Goats Brewing is on the main floor — walk over for a pint on the patio before the evening storms roll in. The courtyard's shaded in the afternoon, the main-floor space stays cool. If you're here early, RND Coffee is a five-minute drive west — the local morning pick before the museums open. Tonight's forecast holds a 40% chance of rain after 8pm, so the brewery patio window closes by then. Otherwise, it's a clear middle stretch on a Tuesday that starts wet and ends the same way.