THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Monday, July 1, 1996                  TAG: 9607010026
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER 
                                            LENGTH:   44 lines

AFTER UNSEASONABLY COOL READINGS, IT'S BACK TO NORMAL TODAY - MID 80S

The score: Nature 1, Science 0.

Sunday was supposed to be hot and sunny in Hampton Roads. Downright steamy, even. A high in the mid 90s. A great day for the beach. Or softball. Or to work in the garden.

So the forecasters said.

Instead, it felt more like April than June, with cool temperatures, dreary skies and off-and-on showers. Ball games were canceled. Gardens went untended. And the beach. . . well. . . some people walked the sandy strip with umbrellas and sweaters.

Hopes are that the National Weather Service is more on target with its holiday outlook: a pleasant Fourth of July with mostly sunny skies and a high in the mid 80s.

Sunday's high of 72 degrees at the National Weather Service office at Norfolk International Airport was more than 20 degrees shy of what had been expected, and 13 degrees below the normal high for this time of year.

The overnight low of 63 was 5 degrees below normal.

The culprit: A warm front that brought precipitation and, because of the heavy cloud cover, cooler temperatures to the coast, from North Carolina to Delaware.

Yet, not far inland it was much warmer and sunnier - as expected.

Richmond posted a high of 86, one degree warmer than normal. And both Roanoke and Lynchburg lived up to forecasts, with highs of 91.

A slow-moving cold front is expected to cross the Mid-Atlantic today with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Drier air with lower humidity will spread across the area on Tuesday as high pressure builds into the region behind the front.

Here is the Hampton Roads forecast through the holiday:

Today - Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of late afternoon thunderstorms. The high should be in the mid or upper 80s.

Tonight - A 30 percent chance of evening showers or thunderstorms, then partly cloudy with a low around 70.

Tuesday - Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of late afternoon thunderstorms and a high in the upper 80s.

Wednesday - Mostly sunny with a low near 70 and a high in the mid-80s.

Thursday - Mostly sunny with a high in the mid 80s. by CNB