High pressure along the Mid-Atlantic and New England coasts will keep dry weather over East-Central Ohio today. Warmer air in the southerly flow will also bring warmer temperatures to our area and afternoon temperatures locally will get to the mid-40s. The warmer air also brings with it added moisture so clouds will become thicker as we go through the day.
Meanwhile, in the Central Plains, low pressure will be strengthening as it begins drifting northeast into the lower Great Lakes region. Rain will move in from the west this evening and overspread into East-Central Ohio early Friday.
The challenges over the weekend will be with precipitation types and timing. Generally speaking, temperatures at the surface and aloft should be sufficient to keep the majority of precipitation Friday as rain. We should not expect much in the way of snow until Saturday when colder air wraps in behind the system. Even at that point, a dry slot is forecast to develop as the system strengthens and shifts east to the coast.
With plenty of moisture accompanying the system, rain will be plentiful. About three-quarters to an inch of rain can be expected through Friday night.
Chances for snow/rain mix look best locally with colder air moving in early Saturday. Temperatures will then warm enough Saturday afternoon to allow for rain. Then, odds for snow or rain/snow mix return Saturday evening into the first half of Sunday as temperatures cool once again. Any snow accumulation locally should remain under an inch.
NEXT WEEK
Our weekend system will move off to the east Sunday night into Monday bringing an end to precipitation. Clouds will linger into Monday but weak high pressure will bring dry conditions through mid-week.
Temperatures will run about average for Monday but we will warm to the 40s once again Tuesday and Wednesday.
