The National Weather Service in Wilmington OH has forecasted a spate of weather conditions that will see Ohioans experience everything from serene sunny skies to potential thunderous uproars. Starting off the week, high pressure will be the name of the game today, ensuring that Columbus to Cincinnati enjoys a continuation of the dry spell, coupled with temperatures rising closer to what's expected this time of year. But keep those umbrellas handy, as things are about to change mid-week with the arrival of a cold front set to stir up showers and maybe even thunderstorms come Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
For the day, the lid on moisture provided by the Great Lakes-derived high pressure will give us abundant sunshine, and indeed, just a smattering of fair-weather cumulus and high-level clouds to paint the sky. "Temperatures look to be slightly warmer with highs from the upper 70s to the lower 80s," states the NWS report. As nightfall approaches, expect the cumulus that graced the afternoon to fade with the loss of daytime heat, paving the way for lows that are not quite as cool as recently, spanning from the lower 50s northeast to the upper 50s southwest.
Tuesday's storyline changes marginally with a surface high inching east and a meddling mid-level shortwave rolling southeast from the Plains. The NWS predicts, "A surface inverted trough will develop into the area with some moisture return focused along it Tuesday afternoon." This means a slight chance for some precipitation, confined primarily along and south of the Ohio River for Tuesday afternoon. The temperature narrative continues its upward plot with Tuesday highs expected to hover from near 80 northwest to the lower 80s southeast.
Looking towards the latter half of the week, the pivot point arrives on Thursday with the aforementioned cold front marching through. Precipitation and possible thunderstorms tag along, though "based on frontal timing and poor expected destabilization, chances for strong storms on Thursday appear limited," the NWS points out. The passage of the front signals the advent of unseasonably cool air and, once again, dry conditions as the week wraps up and the weekend greets us. Mercury readings will dip, with highs struggling to breach the upper 60s to mid-70s, a notable departure from the norm by about 10 degrees.
For those navigating the skies, the NWS aviation outlook suggests sterling flying conditions prevailing today through this evening, thanks to the high-pressure influence and a stingy airmass. Exceptions to the VFR conditions include "some brief and patchy river valley fog toward sunrise this morning," but these hiccups are expected to dissolve swiftly. Air traffic over Cincinnati might encounter heavier fog late tonight with visibility dropping to IFR levels, but clear skies return come Tuesday morning. Pilots should exercise caution as "MVFR ceilings and visibilities are possible Wednesday night into Thursday."
