An active weather pattern will bring multiple chances for snow showers through the weekend and into early next week. After a strong cold front crosses Tuesday, bitterly cold air will follow for the middle of next week. Sub-zero wind chills are forecast from Tuesday evening through next weekend.
An arctic cold front will continue to push through east-central Ohio this morning. Although there is not much moisture with this feature, we will keep a slight chance for a light snow shower or flurries through 10:00 AM. Otherwise, today will be rather uneventful. We may even get into a peak or two of sunshine but temperatures will remain cold today as arctic cold moves in behind the front.
High temperatures this afternoon will not do much better than the mid-teens. And with a gusty west wind, wind chill values will hover either side of 0°. While it will remain cold tonight, the wind will diminish. Still, with temperatures dipping to 10° or colder, it’s going to feel like 0° to -5°.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
The first of a series of weak clipper-like systems will travel across Ohio tomorrow. Saturday’s little system will be followed by a second weak little low and a cold front on Sunday. Together these two unimpressive systems will be enough to generate a few light snow showers as each cruise through the region.
Accumulation looks to be generally light with both of these but they will produce occasional snow showers now and then through the weekend. The potential for measurable snow will be a little higher with Sunday’s system but even then I am not expecting anything more than an inch or three TOTAL snow here in the Valley through the weekend.
While the snow won’t add up to much, it will be cold enough for it to stick and, as it is in winter, we’ll have to look out for slick spots.
Temperatures through the weekend will trend slightly warmer with afternoon highs in the upper 20s for Saturday to the low 30s on Sunday.
MONDAY THROUGH MIDWEEK
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Prolonged arctic cold from Tuesday on
- Wind Chill Advisories and Warnings will be likely next week
- Coldest stretch of weather since 2014
More snow will head our way on Monday and Tuesday with the approach and crossing of a much stronger weather system. Widespread snow looks fairly certain with this system. To add to our woes, a period of rain and/or mixed precipitation is also something we’re keeping an eye on Monday evening if warm air can sneak into the system.
It’s early yet and there are modeling differences in precip types and timing so I’ll not get into specific snow amounts. But this system will bring pretty good odds for shovelable snow to the region.
The one thing that is is fairly certain with this system is the cold arctic airmass that will follow in its wake.
Temperatures will plummet and by Wednesday, it’s going to be significantly colder as true arctic air flows into the region. And, it will be windy too boot, which means wind chill values will be just brutally cold.
I posted this yesterday on Twitter and it shows our coldest air temperatures at New Phila over the last 20 or so years.
I think next week’s temperatures will rival the coldest of these. Whether we get to -10° or -15° makes little difference. The impact on your days will be the same. Wind chill values could conceivably reach -25° to -30° for a time. You really don’t want to be out in this kind of cold.
Confidence is pretty good for this arctic cold even this far out. It may not get AS cold, but, in my opinion, a few degrees warmer doesn’t really matter much. The one good thing is moisture will be hard pressed to produce any widespread or heavy snow with this dry arctic air in place.
Have a great weekend. As always, TuscWeather has you covered through the weekend with our detailed 7-Day Forecast. Check this often for short term local weather details you won’t get from an app.
