Cincinnati is waking up on the damp side this morning, with light rain on the radar and temperatures sitting near 61°F at Lunken Field (KLUK). Scattered showers and a few rumbles of thunder may linger into the late-morning drive, but the payoff looks solid: skies should brighten for a mostly sunny, warm afternoon, with highs near 78°F. West winds will run about 7 to 10 mph, and most neighborhoods are only in line for a few tenths of an inch of rain. For now, it is an umbrella-in-the-morning, sunglasses-in-the-afternoon kind of day.
Afternoon Outlook
Scattered storms are expected to slide south through mid-morning, then give way to more sunshine as the day heats up. If new storms manage to fire along a boundary over the northern side of the metro, the main concerns would be small hail and gusty winds, although the overall severe threat remains on the low side, according to the National Weather Service Wilmington. Most of the shower activity should wind down by early afternoon, setting the stage for a warm and mostly sunny finish.
Weekend And Week Ahead
A more organized batch of showers and thunderstorms is expected from Friday into Saturday as a weak front moves through the region. Right now, Friday night carries the highest chance for rain, with localized totals around a quarter to a half inch possible. Another system arrives Monday or Tuesday, with a better setup for stronger storms, depending on the exact track of the surface low, so timing and placement will be key for who sees the worst of it. Temperatures stay on the warm side throughout, with highs near or into the low 80s through early next week.
What To Know For Plans
Plan on rain gear for the morning commute and give yourself a little extra time while those brief downpours pass through. If you have outdoor plans from Friday night into Saturday, line up an indoor backup option, since gusts into the low 20s mph and heavier rainfall are possible. We will post updates if any watches or warnings are issued.
We covered this quick warm-up earlier in the week; check out our April 20 story From Frost To Flip Flops for gardening and frost-timing reminders ahead of the heat. Stay tuned for any forecast tweaks as these systems move in later this week.
