Today, July 20: Cleveland woke to clear blue skies muted by a thin blanket of wildfire smoke, with morning temperatures in the low 60s and an afternoon high near 84°F on tap. That hazy filter is expected to hang around much of the day, before a strong frontal system slides in tonight and sparks showers and thunderstorms into tomorrow, July 21. Forecasters say tomorrow's storms could organize and pack damaging wind gusts along with brief, heavy downpours.
Patchy Smoke This Morning
Across the city and into the suburbs, residents are likely to notice hazier-than-usual skies and somewhat reduced visibility after smoke from distant fires drifted into the region over the weekend. Earlier coverage reported local air-quality monitors hitting unhealthy levels at times and urged sensitive groups to cut back on outdoor time. For details on health tips and precautions, see the smoke-choked Cleveland forecast.
If you or someone in your home has asthma or heart disease, or if you are caring for young children or older adults, plan to spend more time indoors with filtered air while the smoke hangs around.
Storms Likely Tuesday, July 21
Showers and thunderstorms are expected to fire up ahead of the front late tonight and roll into tomorrow, with the main window for more organized storms from tomorrow morning into the afternoon. According to NWS Cleveland, the Storm Prediction Center has placed much of Northeast Ohio under a slight risk for severe weather, and forecasters note a smaller pocket could see an enhanced risk for damaging winds.
Expect southwest winds around 13 to 17 mph tomorrow, with gusts near 28 mph and pockets of heavy downpours. Most spots are projected to pick up rainfall on the order of a few tenths of an inch, though isolated higher totals are possible where stronger storms track.
Timing And Commute Impacts
Showers late tonight followed by more widespread storms tomorrow morning could tangle the rush hour and put a question mark on outdoor plans. Drivers should be ready for sudden heavy rain, ponding on roads, and slower-than-usual travel.
Out on Lake Erie, boaters should plan for southwest winds increasing to 15 to 25 knots by tomorrow morning and waves building to 2 to 5 feet in the nearshore waters, with Small Craft Advisories likely. If you have to be on the lake, keep a sharp eye on the sky and be ready to head for harbor quickly.
How To Prepare
Line up a backup plan for any outdoor gatherings or yard work you had penciled in for tomorrow afternoon, and secure loose patio furniture, grills, and umbrellas tonight before the front arrives. Keep phones charged, make sure you have basic emergency supplies where you can find them, and go easy on strenuous outdoor activity while air quality is degraded by smoke.
Check hourly forecasts, real-time air-quality data, and local alerts before heading out. If smoke levels or storms start to ramp up, move vulnerable family members indoors.
Updates will follow if watches or warnings are issued or if the timing and intensity of storms change. Cooler, more comfortable air filters in behind the front on Wednesday, July 22, with highs dropping into the low to mid-70s.
.jpg){kind=link}