Air quality will gradually improve through the day today as winds become more westerly this morning and southwesterly by the afternoon.
A cold front currently over Wisconsin and northern Michigan this morning is forecast to travel southeast today and arrive in the east-central Ohio region by late this afternoon or early this evening. A squall line is expected to develop ahead of the front over Lake Erie and track southeast.
While there can certainly be a discrete gusty thunderstorm out ahead of the main squall line, thunderstorms along this main line will have a high potential for damaging wind gusts. There is also a lower but non-zero risk of large hail and embedded tornadoes, as well as pockets of heavy rain.
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has our area highlighted in a Level 3, Enhanced Risk, for severe weather – mainly between 5:00 and 10:00 PM. A Level 3 severe risk means that there is high confidence in severe thunderstorms impacting the area.
Conditions in our area will be favorable for strong winds as the squall line moves through. Wind gusts capable of downing trees and powerlines are possible.
Some cells within the line will also have the potential to produce heavy rainfall. Storm motion will be relatively fast, which will reduce the potential for flash flooding.
The threat of severe thunderstorms will quickly wane after the passage of the front later this evening – after 9:00/10:00 PM in our local area.
HEADS UP FOR TUESDAY
Fair weather is expected to return on Sunday and Monday. Forecast models indicate that a low pressure system will track across the Great Lakes region on Tuesday, bringing another round of potentially severe weather to the area. As of today (Saturday), strong wind gusts and tornadoes look to be the main threats.
It’s way too far out for specifics, but I just wanted folks to be aware that Tuesday could be another active weather day. I’ll keep you updated as things come into focus.
