We’re between weather systems on Friday and under the influence of high pressure. Temperatures this afternoon should reach the upper-70s to around 80° across the east-central Ohio region with mostly sunny conditions. Calm and quiet weather will continue overnight.
Our next weather system will feature a strong cold front that will bring another round of potentially severe weather during the second half of Saturday. The cold front will also introduce a pattern change that will include much cooler temperatures in the region for next week.
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has maintained the Level 2, Slight Risk category for all of east-central Ohio in the Day 2 Outlook, with all three severe weather modes in play.
The timing of the cold front’s passage through eastern Ohio is still a bit of an issue, yet this morning. The general trend over the last 24 hours has slowed the front by a couple of hours, which would allow for a late-afternoon to early-evening arrival. The later delay also allows more time for instability to build ahead of the front.
Another factor that will come into play is cloud cover. There remains some question about the amount of clearing we may have overhead earlier in the day. The more clearing we have, the higher the chances of severe thunderstorms.
For today, though, the SPC maintains damaging wind as the primary threat and a low, but non-zero, tornado risk. This might change in later forecasts and SPC updates depending on how the cloud cover trends develop in future model runs.
Regardless of the severe storm potential, temperatures on Saturday will be quite warm with daytime highs in the low-80s. The record high for Saturday in New Phila is 86° (1976). That will be tough to beat. Temperatures behind the front will be much cooler, by roughly 30° or so.
For those folks who have started the garden or have plants outdoors, pay attention to nighttime temperatures on Sunday and Monday nights. Current forecasts bring temperatures near or below freezing. Frost and/or a freeze is likely. Take precautions.
I’ll post another update by early Saturday with the latest on tomorrow’s severe weather potential. Until then, thanks for checking in on our local weather. Have a great Friday!
