Cleveland's winter continues to be a grab bag of weather events as the National Weather Service in Cleveland provides the latest on what Ohioans can expect heading into the weekend. A high-pressure system is giving us a brief respite, but don't put away those winter boots just yet. According to NWS Cleveland, "High pressure will build over the area today," which will offer clearer skies after gusty winds tapering off this morning.
Beginning Friday night until the end of the weekend, NWS warns of "changing precipitation types" as a result of a significant low-pressure system making its way over the area. To start, Northerners can expect 2 to 4 inches of snow, while the southern zones might see lesser amounts due to potential freezing rain and sleet mix. Things will turn to rain as temperatures hover above freezing, which could bring some relief to those facing the snow. Still, ice amounts and their locations remain uncertain, flirting with potential shifts that could occur with the weather shift.
The short-term outlook isn't much warmer. A low will deepen and move northeastward, transitioning Saturday's raining showers back to snow as colder air prevails on Sunday, leading to widespread snow showers that could become localized lake effect flurries by Sunday night into Monday. "Snowfall amounts areawide early Sunday through Monday will range between 1-2 inches with locally higher amounts possible in Northwest Ohio and across the Snowbelt," forecasts the NWS report. As a ridge of high pressure builds up on Monday, any lake-effect snow is expected to taper off. But don't let this fool you. We're in for "an extended period of below normal temperatures and extreme cold" as we hit the latter part of the short term, heading into the next week.
Kicking off the early half of the long term, Canadian high pressure and an Arctic air mass continue their visitation rights. "By Tuesday, very cold 850mb temperatures fall to -15 to -18C," according to the NWS forecast. The high temps will miserably peak in the mid-teens. A slight warming occurs midweek, with temperatures dipping less horrifically at night but still accompanied by a bite of sub-zero wind chill. Another low-pressure system is eyeing the Great Lakes region from the south, although its intentions, strength, and track remain somewhat mysterious.
Marine conditions on Lake Erie remain calmer due to its extensive ice cover, which keeps the Small Craft Advisory at bay for now. But winds are expected to increase to 20-30 knots come Sunday, following the low's movement across Lake Erie. The week following promises a succession of westerly winds until high pressure from the west allows for a notable decrease by Monday night.
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