Heat, humidity and isolated afternoon thunderstorms are expected through mid-week. A late week cold front will bring better rain chance and more seasonable temperatures.
Unfortunately for those who aren’t happy with July-like weather, there is not much change in the short term weather pattern. Hot and humid conditions will continue today with high pressure over the eastern US creating a southerly flow in east-central Ohio.
Today will be a replay of Labor Day. Temperatures will top out in the low 90s in the Valley this afternoon. With dew points in the low 70s, heat index values will reach the upper 90s – close to the 100 degrees needed for a heat advisory.
Warm temperatures in the upper levels will ‘cap’ the majority of thunderstorm development. But, like yesterday, there is a slight chance a few robust cumuli would get feisty enough to build into a thunderstorm late in the day. The better chances for any development will center in northern Ohio counties.
Tonight will be another warm and muggy night across the Valley with nighttime lows around 70.
We’ll see more of the same on Wednesday. But, we will begin to see changes that will finally bring some relief to the heat and humidity to end the work week. The large area of high pressure will shift farther east loosening its grip on east-central Ohio. It will still be a hot and muggy day tomorrow but with an increase in afternoon clouds temperatures will not be quite as hot as today.
A cold front will sink across Lake Erie Wednesday night and approach the Tuscarawas Valley around lunch time. Showers and thunderstorms will develop ahead of the front and move through during the morning through mid-afternoon. Severe storms are unlikely at this point but we will continue to monitor conditions for any changes.
Showers and storms will exit south with the front by evening with just spotty shower chances overnight. The humid airmass we’ve been suffering through will begin to weaken as somewhat cooler and drier air replaces it. Temperatures will cool at least 10 degrees with Friday afternoon highs around 80 degrees.
WEEKEND OUTLOOK
Cooler temperatures will continue through the weekend with the upper 70s looking pretty good at this point.
The models are starting to come together with a solution for the weekend but there are some differences remaining.
The models are coming into better agreement showing the cold front to our south stalling, then returning north on Saturday as a warm front. If this turns out to be correct, it will be a fairly wet weekend with ongoing showers and storms. My confidence in the weekend outlook is a little better today but I still have doubts.
A low-pressure system developing along the frontal boundary Sunday and push a cold front through Ohio on Monday. This second front next week may be the one that brings big temperature changes for next week.
