Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Cleveland, OH

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049 FXUS61 KCLE 201940 AFDCLE Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Cleveland OH 340 PM EDT Mon May 20 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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Low pressure will track northeast across the Plains Tuesday, extending a cold front east across the area on Wednesday. High pressure will return for Thursday, followed by another cold front Thursday night into Friday.
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&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...
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The severe thunderstorm across NW OH has exited land with recent satellite and radar trends suggesting a weakening trend as it continues north across Lake Erie. Otherwise, could see additional isolated to scattered shower/thunderstorm coverage further east, mainly associated with the lake breeze near the lakeshore. However, low-level moisture is much more limited further east and southeast, evident by larger T/Td spreads and deeper mixing. Following sunset, dry conditions should primarily exist overnight and into Tuesday morning, although we`ll need to watch residual outflow/lingering showers and thunderstorms approaching from the west overnight. Otherwise, the dynamics that generated thunderstorms today will be similar for Tuesday afternoon and evening, largely lake-breeze driven with limited large- scale forcing evident. However, expecting initiation further east this time as enhanced low- level moisture pools across North and Northeast Ohio, coupled with marginal MLCAPE around 1000 J/kg, weak shear less than 20 knots, and steep 0-3 km lapse rates ranging between 8-9 C/km. Once again, we`ll need to watch for residual outflow/showers and thunderstorms approaching from the west Tuesday night. Near record-highs are possible again for Tuesday across the area, with temperatures rising into the upper 80s to lower 90s.
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&& .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/...
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A shortwave trough will move into the western and Upper Great Lakes Region on Wednesday. The Ohio Valley region will be in a southwesterly deep-layer flow with an enhanced vorticity maxima moving along in the flow. A cold front will slowly sag southeastward through the lower and eastern Great Lakes region Wednesday afternoon and night. A moist and unstable airmass ahead of the slow moving frontal boundary will become destabilized on Wednesday into Wednesday evening. Surface dewpoints will rise into the middle 60s. Modest midlevel lapse rates will be around 7 C/km. Moderate destabilization will be possible with MLCAPE up to 2000 J/kg. Vertical shear will be modest around 35 knots. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will be likely with a few of them possibly severe with isolated damaging wind gusts and some hail possible Wednesday afternoon into the evening. Afternoon high temperatures will max out once again in the middle to upper 80s Wednesday before convection develops. The slow moving cold front will reach central and southern Ohio on Thursday. We will maintain higher POPs for showers and thunderstorms on Thursday for areas along and south of Highway 30 and lesser values closer to the lakeshore. Weak high pressure tries to build in Thursday night with a slight drying trend. High temperatures on Thursday will be slightly cooler in the middle to upper 70s.
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&& .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
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The extended forecast by next weekend is a little uncertain given the erratic westerly flow beyond day 5. It appears we may have a weak area of high pressure over the eastern Great Lakes on Friday with a fair weather day. High temperature will be in the middle 70s to around 80 degrees. The Ohio Valley region will remain a psuedo deep layer southwesterly flow aloft. The next impulse in that flow may arrive over the weekend of by the later half with the next round of showers and storms. Temperatures will remain above average for next weekend.
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&& .AVIATION /18Z Monday THROUGH Saturday/... VFR across the TAF sites early this afternoon with primarily VFR to persist through the TAF period. A few thunderstorms have developed this afternoon, although they are expected to largely miss the TAF sites. Did include vcts at TOL/CLE through the next few hours as confidence remains low on any thunderstorms impacting the sites with non-VFR conditions. Otherwise, winds are generally out of the south to southwest early this afternoon, 7 to 10 knots. Apart from a north/northwest lake breeze which may impact CLE/ERI by mid- afternoon, winds should remain out of the south to southwest, 5 to 10 knots, through the TAF period. Outlook...Mainly VFR expected outside of any thunderstorms. Isolated thunderstorms are possible during the afternoon and early evening hours Tuesday. Scattered to numerous thunderstorms are more likely Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night. && .MARINE...
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There is a weak lake breeze near the lakeshore this afternoon. This lake breeze should wash out by sunset this evening. A warm front will move northward across the lake this evening. A weak low will pass north of the lake tonight and allow for south to southwest flow up to 10 knots to return over Lake Erie. A slightly stronger low pressure system will develop over the Upper Midwest Tuesday and the pressure gradient will increase across the lake Tuesday night into Wednesday. Southerly to southwesterly winds will strengthen up to 20 knots. The southwest flow on Wednesday afternoon could mix pretty well and wind speeds may be close to SCA headline. A slow moving cold front will extend across the lake on Wednesday night and winds will shift from the west and then north as high pressure builds over the lake on Thursday. The surface high will move east of the lake on Friday and northeast flow will be favored.
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&& .CLIMATE... High temperatures will approach record values today and Tuesday. Daily Record High Maximum Temperatures Date Toledo Mansfield Cleveland Akron Youngstown Erie 05-20 92(1962) 89(1962) 91(1962) 91(1934) 91(1934) 88(2021) 05-21 93(1941) 89(1941) 89(1941) 91(1934) 89(1934) 88(1911) && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...Air Quality Alert until midnight EDT tonight for OHZ010>014- 020>022-089. PA...None. NY...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Kahn NEAR TERM...Kahn SHORT TERM...Griffin LONG TERM...Griffin AVIATION...Kahn MARINE...Griffin CLIMATE...