After a brief break in the steady rain, widespread rain will return to the Tuscarawas Valley by mid- to late morning and persist through much of the afternoon and early evening. A rumble or two of thunder will be possible this afternoon as a wave of low pressure rides along a nearly stationary frontal boundary parked overhead in our vicinity. The likelihood of a thunderstorm will depend on how much instability can develop, and that will depend on how much clearing we see in today’s cloud cover.
As that low-pressure wave exits to the east of the region tonight, the rain should taper off. Once again, fog will likely develop in the warm and moist atmosphere that settles over the region behind the rain. Once the fog lifts Friday morning, skies should begin to clear, allowing for a sunnier afternoon and evening. Temperatures across the Valley will warm to the low-70s. It will actually feel a bit humid toward evening as dewpoints rise to around 60°.
WEEKEND OUTLOOK
There can be a passing shower Friday night into Saturday morning, but the odds are better that dry weather will prevail. Temperatures on Saturday will quickly warm to the mid to upper 70s with dewpoints in the low-60s in the warm SW breeze.
A cold front will approach and eventually cross the east-central Ohio region sometime Saturday afternoon or evening. (The timing needs to be worked on.) Showers and thunderstorms are likely with the front. Depending on how much instability can develop ahead of the front, some of the storms could be strong to severe.
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has included the east-central Ohio region in a Level 2 – Slight Risk for severe thunderstorms on Saturday. At this time, damaging wind gusts is the primary threat. Currently, the prime time for any storm activity in our area is late afternoon into Saturday evening. This will all come into better focus as we learn more about weather conditions over the next 36 to 48 hours.
Showers and thunderstorms should clear out of the area before midnight Saturday night. Cooler air behind the cold front will knock daytime highs on Sunday back to the upper-50s to maybe 60° under plentiful sunshine – not too shabby for early March.
EARLY NEXT WEEK
Temperatures will rebound to the upper-60s on Monday with daytime highs a tick or two either side of 70° on Tuesday and Wednesday. After a mainly sunny day on Monday, rain chances return to the Valley on Tuesday, with rain likely on Wednesday. Temperatures closer to where we should be in March are a good bet by midweek.
