As the weekend sets in, Cleveland is experiencing a weather split, with high pressure keeping things clear in the west and stratus clouds persisting in the east. The National Weather Service in Cleveland reports that today's skies will see a stark contrast, which is a slight change from earlier predictions. The cloud deck has been reluctant to move westward, with visibility remaining low to the east due to fog and potentially some drizzle in Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania.
Despite the sluggish cloud expansion, the forecast indicates an oncoming shift as a warm center of high pressure moves across the region tonight, promising clearer skies by the evening. Following this, a warm front is expected to move through on Sunday evening, possibly ushering in some showers, particularly in Northwest Ohio. According to the NWS, "Highs will be in the 50s west to low-to-mid 40s east," with Sunday seeing an uptick in temperatures across the area.
Moving into the work week, Cleveland braces for more active weather patterns. A deep upper trough is anticipated to settle into the Great Lakes and Northeast, punctuated by a strong cold front passage on Monday. Showers and thunderstorms are on the forecast's radar for Monday afternoon, with some uncertainty about the severity of the storms. "Guidance disagrees on exactly how quickly convection develops and how fast the front sweeps through," the NWS explained, indicating a risk for potentially damaging winds and hail in southeastern counties.
As Tuesday approaches, the cold snap strengthens with forecasters expecting a windy and showery day across Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania. Winds could gust in the range of 30-40 MPH. Again, the NWS cautions, "Will need to monitor trends in the gust forecast as some models have slightly stronger flow aloft." Cooling temperatures into Tuesday night could mix precipitation with snow, raising the chances of accumulation, especially in Erie County, PA.
Regarding marine conditions on Lake Erie, boaters should expect tranquil marine conditions to persist through the weekend, followed by choppier waters come Monday. Winds are projected to pick up significantly after the cold front on Monday, with gusts potentially reaching gale force on Tuesday. The NWS advises that Small Craft Advisories will likely be issued for all zones by Monday afternoon and remain in place through Wednesday evening.
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