Temperatures will remain relatively warm today but we will end up with a cloudier day today as our next weather maker approaches to bring a soggy day to east-central Ohio on Thursday. With plenty of very dry air in place, we will stay rain-free today and this evening. It will take until late tonight before rain creeps back into the region.
Afternoon temperatures today should reach the low 60s for most of area.
Once the rain arrives early Thursday morning, Thursday will be pretty much a wash out. I expect to see rain covering the Tuscarawas Valley the vast majority of the day as low pressure moves across the region. There will also be just a touch of instability so some of us may hear a rumble or two of thunder during the afternoon.
By tomorrow night colder air will begin to move in behind our storm system. As it does, some snow will mix in with the rain before precipitation changes over to all snow showers. Temperatures down here on the surface will be borderline and any snow will be wet and gloppy. The ground is fairly warm yet so we should not see much in the way of accumulation on roads and highways.
Heavy wet snow could certainly accumulate on open and grassy areas and we could end up with a half inch in most spots. Some places could get an inch depending on how the gusty winds steer.
The other weather factor we’ll need to deal with Thursday night and Friday will be gusty winds as our storm system pushes off to the east. Northwest winds will pick up becoming 10 to 15 mph with occasional gusts to 30 or so.
Friday morning’s precipitation will be primarily wet snow but as temperatures creep up a few degrees in the afternoon this will change back over to rain. Rain will taper off and end mid to late afternoon Friday.
Total rainfall could add a half to an inch of rain to our already saturated ground through the period. Those areas that still have high water and minor flooding – Bolivar and Zoar areas particularly – are only going to see additional water to add to their woes.
For those of us who are fascinated with the science of weather, this low that tracks across east-central Ohio Thursday and Friday will continue east and into the Atlantic where it will intensify and become a powerful nor’easter. While we won’t see any impacts here in the Tuscarawas Valley, those along the eastern seaboard will have high winds, coastal erosion, snow and rain to deal with over the weekend.
WEEKEND WEATHER
We’re still looking pretty good for the weekend as Canadian high pressure builds in overhead to bring dry and mostly sunny conditions Saturday and Sunday. The sunshine will be deceiving, though, as temperatures will be noticeably cooler and more in tune with early March. Highs on Saturday won’t do much better than the low 40s with mid 40s for the high on Sunday.
EARLY NEXT WEEK
High pressure will stick around on Monday and temperatures will warm a bit. Most neighborhoods will see highs Monday in the low 50s.
Unsettled weather will return by Tuesday and remain through mid week with the next frontal system. Expect rain chances to return Monday night into Tuesday.
MARCH BEGINS COOL
A quick look at the European ensembles indicates that we can expect seasonal or slightly below normal temperatures as we head into the first part of next month. A warming trend will follow for the second half of March.
