San Francisco can often feel like it exists in its own bubble, but we're all in the same atmospheric soup when it comes to weather. Our friends in Ohio are getting a taste of that as they wrestle with a finicky low pressure system dragging its heels across the region. According to the National Weather Service in Cleveland, this troublemaker will finally shove off to the northeast by Friday, with a sequel in the form of a secondary low pressure system queuing up to bring more drama through Friday night.
The current system is causing quite the atmospheric tantrum, scattering rain and snow into the mix for Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania. "Rain and snow is into all of NE OH and NW PA and have extended the categorical PoPs all the way east," said the report, which is meteorologist-speak for a high probability of precipitation. Keep those umbrellas and snow boots handy because this weather mood swing is expected to last the whole afternoon. Temperatures, meanwhile, are stuck in the unenthusiastic 40s, as seems to be the Midwest's spring fate.
For those eyeing the weekend, high pressure is trying to play the hero, pushing in from the west to usher in clearer skies. The NWS Cleveland forecasts a warming trend with dry conditions, which is music to the ears of anyone planning outdoor activities. "Temperatures will be on a warming trend with highs on Saturday climbing into the upper 40s to low 50s before increasing into the upper 50s to low 60s on Sunday," the service notes, painting a picture of what one hopes will be a quintessential spring weekend.
But don't get too cozy with the sunshine because another upper-level trough is nosing its way south across the central US, threatening to shake things up again. Confidence in the forecasts wavers as models diverge, but it's starting to look like Monday might serve up a dramatic mix of high temperatures and maybe even some strong to severe thunderstorms. "With all these conditions present, there is a non-zero potential for strong to severe thunderstorms Monday afternoon, however confidence remains low given the divergence in models," the forecasters cautiously speculate.
Maritime interests, including sailors and fishermen on the Great Lake, aren't immune to the whims of weather either. Lake Erie can expect northerly winds in the 15-20 knot swirling thanks to that low pressure on its way out. This could lead to conditions that demand a Small Craft Advisory, though predictions are still on the fence. Regardless, those on the water should be prepared for potential chop and fog patches. Come Monday, as that cold front scoots in, winds could kick up considerably, again making a strong case for safety and caution on the waves.
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