Colder than average temperatures are expected through mid-week. A reinforcing cold front will return light snow chances today. Much warmer temperatures are expected next weekend.
Our streak of quiet but cold weather will continue today. The early sun will give way to increasing clouds this afternoon as a cold front crosses east-central Ohio. The bulk of any snow show showers with the front should stay north of the Valley but I can’t completely rule out light snow or a few flurries this afternoon. Any snow here doesn’t look to add up to much but it will be cold enough to stick. Watch for slick spots if you’re out today.
Hi-res FutureCast radar through 1:00 AM Wednesday:
Despite the stronger March sun, Temperatures today won’t warm much. Most spots locally will be lucky to get to 20° today. With a breezy southwest wind, wind chill values will stay mostly below zero today. And, those breezy southwest winds will keep wind chill values around zero degrees.
Clouds tonight will prevent temperatures from getting as cold as last night. Still, expect temperatures around 10°/12° overnight.
WEDNESDAY – THURSDAY
Weak high pressure and a northwest flow will bring generally dry, although cold, conditions to the Valley for midweek. Temperatures will gradually trend upwards with afternoon highs possibly reaching freezing by Thursday.
FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND
There is still some disagreement with a little disturbance moving out of the Tennesee Valley Thursday night and Friday. The GFS has been the most aggressive spreading light snow into southern Ohio early Friday morning. Locally, temperatures will finally warm above freezing in the afternoon, so some mixed precipitation may visit for a time. For now, I’ve kept low odds for a touch of snow early Friday but it’s a low confidence forecast.
Tomorrow this little bump will come into the range of the hi-res models and a clearer picture of how this plays out. Either way, it doesn’t appear to be a high impact event.
High pressure will return for Friday night and Saturday keeping the area dry. Actually, Saturday looks to be a really nice springlike day with plenty of sun. Temperatures should approach 50° locally. If this pans out, the carwashes will rake in the dough.
The next storm system will cross the Great Lakes region on Sunday. As this system approaches from Wisconsin it will lift a warm front through Ohio. Temperatures on Sunday will warm to the mid/upper 50s but rain will spread into east-central Ohio Saturday night and Sunday.
Conditions may turn breezy Sunday as the system’s cold front approaches then finally crosses Sunday night. Although confidence is low, a short period of mixed precipitation could occur Sunday night behind the front.
NEXT WEEK
A warmer pattern looks to set up in the mid-range forecast according to the latest outlook from the NWS Climate Prediction Center.
A WORD ABOUT THOSE ALABAMA TORNADOES
A tornado outbreak over the weekend in the southeastern US left many dead and injured – including children. large powerful tornadoes carved a swath of death and destruction through parts of Alabama and Georgia. This should serve as a reminder that OUR severe thunderstorm season is approaching. It’s never too early to prepare.
One news item that stood out for me was the fact that many media interviews of the survivors highlighted the same tired old excuse – “We didn’t hear the sirens.“. Please please please don’t rely on outdoor tornado sirens as your main method of a weather warning. Outdoor sirens ARE NOT meant to be used as an indoor warning system.
Outdoor tornado sirens were first used in the 1940s as a wartime warning system. It is now 2019. We have developed better and more reliable ways of warning folks about severe weather. Buy a weather radio (about $30) and program it for Tuscarawas County (or YOUR county). Download the FEMA App (Free) and install it on your devices.
