Clevelanders can expect a mix of sunny skies today followed by a return of rain showers on Friday, according to the latest weather forecast from the National Weather Service in Cleveland. Thursday will remain under the influence of high pressure, keeping the region dry with an expected temperature rebound into the lower to upper 50s, and possibly hitting 60 degrees in northwest Ohio. For those planning to step outside, a southwesterly breeze around 10 to 15 mph might warrant a light jacket despite the sunshine.
However, the peace won't last as the NWS Cleveland reported, "The overall weather pattern will start to change towards more unsettle late tonight and Friday." A southbound warm front is anticipated to shake things up late Thursday into Friday, bringing with it scattered rain showers that will start during the pre-dawn hours and becoming likely throughout Friday. Although showers will be scattered, rainfall could average around a tenth of an inch or slightly greater, with shower chances starting to taper off late Friday afternoon from southwest to northeast. During these showers, temperatures are still expected to warm up into the 60s.
Looking ahead to the weekend, the outlook remains damp with multiple rounds of showers on the horizon. The National Weather Service indicates that there will be "An unsettled weather pattern with multiple rounds of showers...through much of Sunday as low pressure lifts northeast from the mid-Mississippi Valley towards the Great Lakes," bringing larger precipitation concerns. Despite periods of rain and heavy cloud cover, high temperatures for the weekend will persist in the upper 60s to lower 70s.
Into next week, the frontal system will have moved through, but showers may linger until at least Monday evening, with rain potentially mixing with snow. A brief reprieve may come on Tuesday as an upper ridge builds into the region. However, the reprieve will be short-lived, as rain chances are anticipated to make a return by Wednesday. After the front passes, temperatures will take a dip with Monday's highs anticipated in the 50s and Tuesday more likely seeing 40s and lower 50s. The service also noted that while winds on Lake Erie will be manageable during most of this period, "Small Craft Advisories will likely be needed" as conditions on the water are anticipated to be choppier with the approaching system.
For aviators, the forecast is more straightforward. VFR conditions are predicted to hang on for the next 24 hours, but pilots should expect a gradual increase in cloud cover, with ceilings possibly lowering to near 3500 feet by Friday morning. And for those on the water, mariners might want to pay attention to the marine outlook. Today's mild west-to-southwest winds may be briefly interrupted with speeds approaching cautionary levels in the eastern basin of Lake Erie, according to the National Weather Service. However, southeast breezes will take hold by Friday as that wayward warm front approaches, likely necessitating Small Craft Advisories during the weekend.
