Residents across Cleveland are bracing for a mixed bag of weather patterns heading into the weekend. According to the National Weather Service in Cleveland, a cold front is expected to sweep through on Friday, bringing with it a burst of rain, and again late Friday night into early Saturday. The real kicker, however, is the strong low-pressure system that's predicted to blaze a trail through the region on Sunday, which could potentially lead to lake effect snow as we move into next week.
Let's break this down. Thursday is looking pretty clear, thanks to the high pressure that's the captain of the day. But by Friday, a warm front is coming up, promising to boost our temps into the sweet upper 50s and even 60s. But don't get too cozy with the mild air—this warm spell is chased closely by that cold front, which could trigger a line of showers that's going to trek through the area. And according to the forecasts, we might even see some thunder, although for now, that word isn't being tossed into the mix just yet, as per the National Weather Service's forecast discussion.
Moving into the weekend, it's a toggle between the weather. That secondary cold front on Friday night seems to be the shier sibling, not bringing as much precipitation as its predecessor. But don't let that fool you. By Sunday, the stage is being set for what's shaping up to be a bout of early-season winter weather. This show includes a drop in temperatures that by Sunday has people reaching for thicker coats, as the colder air starts to settle in.
Transitioning into Sunday night and beyond, all eyes will be on the back of that deepening surface low as it cruises from our backyard over to the New England coast. Imagine temps at the 850mb level plotting a dive to between -9C and -11C. The upshot? Lake effect precipitation becomes a real possibility for the region, with a switch from rain and snow mix to all-out snow showers Sunday night into Monday. By the time we hit Monday night, snow is expected to have shown up in the usual spots, thanks to north-northwesterly winds. As for accumulations, that's a watch-this-space kind of deal, especially with the ground still holding onto some of the departing warmth, based on the NWS's latest weather advisories.
For those hitting the skies, the near-term is set to be mostly clear with VFR (Visual Flight Rules) conditions taking charge through the majority of the period. Cleveland's forecast mentions that some lake effect clouds might play tag with ERI through early afternoon but hold off on producing any significant disturbance. Winds stay pretty tame as well, save for a venture into gustier realms very late in the TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast) period at ERI, maybe kicking up to 30 knots. Come early Friday, those winds could mean potential low-level wind shear, so heads up to pilots out there.
And for you mariners, the waters are starting to settle down after a spell of unruly behavior, with Small Craft Advisories already having expired east of Avon Point as of early afternoon. A low pressure is gearing up to make its way across the upper Great Lakes Friday, and that's bound to stir things up again with south-southwest winds climbing the scale and the need for another round of Small Craft Advisories kicking in pre-dawn Friday. Conditions should wind down by Saturday morning, but by Sunday, the gloves are off once more with winds hitting hard from the north-northwest.
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