The National Weather Service is giving us a heads-up that we're going to enjoy some pretty stable weather conditions for at least a couple of more days. According to the National Weather Service's latest forecast, high pressure is hanging tight, which means dry conditions for Columbus, Cincinnati, and the surrounding areas through Thursday. Don't expect any dramatic shifts in the weather—temperatures will hover near or a tad above normal as we cruise through the early part of next week.
Early risers might catch some fog clinging to the river valleys around sunrise, especially along the Ohio River and in the lower Scioto Valley. As the day progresses, we'll get a treat in the form of abundant sunshine, although there'll be "some smoke aloft still drifting through the area," according to the National Weather Service, but it's not expected to obscure the skies as much as yesterday. It looks like a good day to nab that sunblock and maybe don the sunglasses for the commute.
Moving into the evening and Thursday, surface high pressure that's been cozying up to the southeast is going to meander off, and we're shifting into a more zonal flow up top in the atmosphere. You'll notice more clouds as they begin to gather, but the sun won't be a stranger either. Temperatures dip slightly tonight but will rebound solidly into the mid to upper 80s by Thursday afternoon. The weather service is keeping it optimistic and dry, even as a humid airmass starts sneaking back into town from the southwest.
When we look at the longer stretch, through Thursday night and into the weekend, the forecast gets a bit more active. We're eyeing a chance of rain that will crank up on Friday and peak with a 90% probability by Saturday afternoon. Sunday through Tuesday is your typical Midwest spring vibe with rain chances fluctuating, perhaps more likely in the southeast areas. Temperatures? They'll hang around the mid-upper 80s, dropping slightly to the low 80s or mid 80s from Saturday through Monday, then inching back up midweek. Night owls will find the lows sitting comfortably in the mid to upper 60s, with some areas up north seeing a dip into the lower 60s come Sunday evening.
For you aviators or those who love looking up, VFR conditions will reign supreme after this early fog clears out. A bit of "light SW winds this morning will increase to around 8-10kts this afternoon before subsiding once again past 00z." Keep an eye on visibility at KLUK in the early Thursday hours, though, as there could be some river valley BR/FG. And while the weekend does indeed threaten to dampen plans with "storms possible Friday night through Sunday," according to the NWS forecast, there's still a stretch of clear sky to travel to enjoy until then.
