Local Update on Wednesday’s Storm

Published 11/26/2019 9:27 AM EST
Editied (hi-res-graphics) 10:43 AM EST

Dry and warmer weather can be expected today, but strong low pressure will bring rain and windy conditions for Wednesday.

A storm system bringing snow and blizzard conditions to parts of the Plains states today will strengthen as it travels east to the Great Lakes region tonight and Wednesday. Locally, we’ll get rain and strong gusty wind from the storm mainly during the daytime hours on Wednesday. Here’s how things look to unfold for the Tuscarawas Valley area.

TODAY
Today will actually be a pretty nice day locally. Warm air surging ahead of tomorrow’s storm system will bring mild temperatures to the area this afternoon. Highs should reach the upper-50s and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few stations reach 60°. It will be a good day to secure those trash cans and outdoor decorations for the wind that’s headed our way tomorrow.

Warmer air from the south will push temperatures this afternoon to the upper-50s to near 60°.

TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY
The storm system headed toward the Great Lakes will strengthen significantly tonight and Wednesday as it travels east. In our area, rain will spread west to east tonight and all locations locally should get into some rain showers after midnight through Wednesday morning. Rainfall could be heavy at times but drier air funneling in will help keeps flooding issues at bay.

**RAIN LOCALLY** tonight through Wednesday can amount to a quarter to a half-inch. Most of Wednesday’s rain will occur tonight through Wednesday morning. Rain should exit by noon Wednesday.

The biggest problem locally from this storm system will be from the wind. A tight pressure gradient will bring the potential for sustained wind in the 15 to 25 mph range. Gusts could be in the 35 to 45 mph range at times. Wind Advisories have been issued by Cleveland NWS for northern portions of Ohio. I’m confident an Advisory will be issued at some point today for east-central Ohio counties.

**Hi-Res Modeling** of wind gusts early Wednesday afternoon. Potential wind gusts of this magnitude increase concerns for tree damage and power line issues.

Wind speeds at this range for an extended period of time raises concerns for power outages, breaking tree branches and flying debris (including trash cans). Those with high profile vehicles will also have travel difficulties – especially on bridges/overpasses and open areas.

THANKSGIVING DAY
The wind will shift from south to southwest, then finally west Wednesday evening behind the storm’s cold front. Colder air will rush in behind the front for Wednesday night and temperatures will drop to the mid-30s by Thursday morning. WInds, although not as strong as Wednesday, will still be quite breezy with gusts around 20 to 25 mph. So, Thanksgiving will start out dry with a chilly wind. Breezy winds will subside through the morning becoming northwest around 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.

**GFS MODEL** for Thanksgiving day has high pressure building in over the region. Expect a dry but cloudy day with temperatures in the low-40s for the afternoon.

Any wrap-around snow showers Wednesday night and Thursday will be confined to the snow belt counties in northeast Ohio.

FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND
Friday will remain cloudy, chilly and dry. Temperatures will not be much different than Thursday. The next system will once again bring rain showers back to the forecast by Saturday morning with rain continuing into Sunday. Warmer air will push area temperatures into the 50s over the weekend so all precipitation will remain liquid until the system’s cold front crosses Sunday night. Any precipitation Sunday night through Monday morning would change to snow but it’s way too soon for specifics.

Below-average temperatures can be expected for next week behind this weekend system.

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