As residents of Columbus, Cincinnati, Wilmington, and beyond pull through the holiday season, the climate offers no pause in the conversation. The National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio, delivered an update that raincoated celebrators might appreciate: expect a weather rollercoaster with warm fronts and cold fronts lining up on the horizon.
The forecast kicks off with a warm front lifting across the area this morning, which brought some light rain and fog, especially near southeast Indiana. "In the warm sector, temperatures will be able to jump into the upper 50s to mid 60s, even with persistent cloud cover," the National Weather Service stated. A cold front is then expected to chase the warmth away late this afternoon, ushering in more rain with greater coverage expected in the eastern counties.
The brief reprieve between fronts won't last long, with a surface high pressure ridge sliding across the area, clinging to cloud cover with perhaps a few breaks on tomorrow afternoon. However, the fleeting sunshine will be hemmed in by higher, thicker clouds, making a curtain call. Temperatures, while cooler than recent days, will persist well above the seasonal norms.
The charged atmosphere ongoing won't stop there, a vigorous northern short wave will soon join the mix, along with southern stream energy as they parade across the country. This is expected to culminate in a 'closed low' tracking across the Great Lakes by Sunday night into Monday, forecasts the National Weather Service. Another front will be pulled across the region, lifting temperatures and potentially establishing new highs, "temperatures may approach record warmth," the report adds. This effusion will be followed by showers en masse, with projections of 0.5 to 1 inch of rainfall.
And then the plummet. "In the wake of the front it will turn sharply colder," warns the weather service. Signaling a gusty Monday, with northwest flow setting up shop for the remainder of the period. Beyond, lower than normal temperatures hold court for an extended stay. For those taking to the skies, IFR ceilings mar much of today, with MVFR to IFR conditions laying claim to the heavens again on Sunday into Monday. Wind gusts could hit 30 kt or higher during the frontal passage.
