As expected, skies cleared overnight under building high pressure. The arctic air at the surface and radiational cooling allowed for temperatures to plummet across the region. Low temperatures this morning were generally in the low teens locally. These look more like what we would expect in late December or early January.
A couple of low temperature records were broken yesterday at New Phila. This article has those details.
With regard to yesterday’s snow, the heaviest amounts were expected to occur in northeast Ohio. And, that’s pretty much how things worked out. The highest snowfall was over Ashtabula and Geauga Counties (8 to 15 inches measured) as well as Lake, Portage and eastern Cuyahoga. There was a secondary band of heavier snow from Lorain to Medina Counties (4 to 8 inches).
High pressure overhead will keep dry weather today. There will be some cloudiness as temperatures aloft warm a bit. Temperatures will stay below freezing today and will not get much higher than 30° or so. That’s about 14° below our climate average for today.
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY
Temperatures will warm just a bit but still remain around 10° to 13° below average. A weak disturbance will cross Thursday afternoon but moisture and support for any snow showers associated with this should remain north of the Valley. About all we will notice locally will be an increase in clouds.
That little disturbance clears out by Thursday night allowing mostly clear skies to dominate Friday. Despite the bright sunshine, temperatures will continue to remain in the low-40s.
WEEKEND OUTLOOK
An upper-level ridge of high pressure will maintain dry and mostly sunny conditions through the weekend. Temperatures on Saturday will be the coldest of the two days with afternoon highs in the upper-30s to around 40°. Sunday looks a bit warmer with highs in the mid-40s.
EXTENDED PERIOD
Dry conditions with temperatures slowly trending closer to normal appears to set up for early next week. An upper-level trough of low pressure will approach Tuesday. At this time it appears the best odds for precipitation will remain north and east of the area with a coast storm system. Otherwise, fair weather and further moderation in temperatures will continue.
