Cleveland residents can breathe a sigh of relief as the latest forecast from the National Weather Service indicates a relatively dry and stable weather pattern in the coming days. High pressure over southern Ontario is expected to linger, while a low-pressure system will form across the mid-Mississippi Valley on Tuesday and track eastward across the Ohio Valley to the East Coast by Thursday. This system may bring slight precipitation to some areas, but sunny skies are forecasted for the most part, according to the NWS Cleveland.
In the near term, through Monday, we're looking at high pressure posted up north, centered over the Ontario/Quebec border, with its influence stretching to cover the local forecast area. This results in light and variable winds and a land breeze, causing boundary issues over the southern part of Lake Erie. Given these conditions, cooler air has settled, dropping temperatures to the low to mid-30s in some areas, and has prompted a Freeze Warning in effect through the early morning according to the NWS Cleveland. Scattered mid-level clouds from the southwest have been dampening temperature drops, but expect them to skedaddle and let the mercury fall within clearer conditions.
The short-term forecast from Monday night through Tuesday night remains undisturbed by significant weather events. High pressure will stay put over southwestern Quebec, providing mostly clear skies and cool temperatures for the region. While frost or freeze headlines may be possible for the eastern third of the forecast area, the slightly warmer temperatures and light northeast flow should mitigate widespread impacts.
Looming larger in the long term from Wednesday through Saturday, things get a bit murkier as different model tracks predict varying paths for the pesky upper-level closed low and its associated surface system. While the outlook suggests a 40-60% chance of rain Wednesday evening through Friday, this could change with upcoming forecast cycles. Either way, lake effect rain showers seem likely, especially downwind of the Great Lakes, so folks in Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania might want to keep their umbrellas handy over the weekend.
