Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Cleveland, OH

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194 FXUS61 KCLE 192000 AFDCLE Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Cleveland OH 400 PM EDT Thu Sep 19 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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High pressure will continue to influence the region through Friday. A weak cold front will approach Friday night before dissipating as the ridge remains in control through the weekend. Low pressure will track northeast out of the Plains across the Central Great Lakes during the early part of next week.
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&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...
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High pressure remains over the area with cumulus clouds seen on satellite imagery inland and a lake shadow down wind of Lake Erie. A few light echos have been noted on radar near the Pennsylvania/New York border but will not amount to more than a few sprinkles in eastern Erie County PA late this afternoon. Otherwise skies will clear overnight with a few patches of fog returning again. Most likely area of fog will be towards Toledo with light easterly flow off the lake trapping increased moisture below the inversion before winds veer slightly to southeasterly. The coverage of fog is expected to be a little lower as slightly drier air tries to work in from the west. Upper level ridge axis will shift just east of the area on Friday. We will see a little return flow develop on the back side of surface high pressure and ahead of a weak front approaching from the west. It was interesting to note this morning that both the 06Z and 12Z GFS was initializing with nearly a 10 degree low bias in dewpoints upstream across Illinois. While temperatures are forecast to trend 2- 4 degrees warmer on Friday, the GFS MOS guidance was much warmer than other sources, possibly due in part to these initialization problems upstream. Kept the forecast in line with the previous forecast values and leaned towards other guidance sources given the initialization concerns on the GFS. Highs will be above normal on Friday ranging from low 80s east to upper 80s or even 90 in the southwest fringe. Winds should be light enough that lake breezes will develop again during the afternoon. Surface low pressure will approach Hudson Bay on Friday night. A weakening front will extend southward into the area and be on our doorstep Friday evening. A narrow ribbon of moisture advection will be focused into the area bringing the chance of a few showers or possibly a thunderstorm on Friday night. Considerable moistening of the airmass will need to occur before rain reaches the ground but weak instability with MU CAPE values of 300-700 J/kg does spread east across the forecast area. Raised pops slightly and expanded east a little faster as the associated shortwave trough crosses Lake Erie. Outside of any thunderstorms, rainfall amounts will be light with generally a tenth of an inch or less.
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&& .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
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A shortwave will continue to track through the region on Saturday. With a decent lift and dew points well into the mid 60s, there will be a chance of PoPs for the central and western portion of the CWA. Don`t expect much in the way of measurable precipitation with this system as it will be moving fairly quick and the weakening boundary. There will be break in between system Sunday with a small ridge building in behind the shortwave with drier conditions. A more potent system will begin to enter the region Sunday night as a low pressure system moves northeastward from the Great Plains. The NBM has trended up on the chance of precipitation for the day on Sunday, though if any, it will be localized to the western counties of the CWA. That being said, PoP chances have been bumped up to chance for the areas west of I-71. Temperatures for Saturday and Sunday will still be in the mid to upper 80s and overnight lows in the mid 60s.
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&& .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
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Monday we will see the greatest chance of precipitation as a cold front pushes into the region in the afternoon/evening. There is more confidence in increasing to high 50 PoPs during this time period for the majority of the CWA during one point or another Monday/Tuesday. There will be some decent instability with the frontal boundary as it pushes through, so there will be chance of general thunderstorms but don`t expect any severe at this time. Precipitation chances should diminish overnight into Tuesday though will pick up again into Wednesday as the surface low stalls out to the east. Depending on when/where the low starts to stall we be the main factor in which areas of the CWA will see showers Wednesday and Thursday. Will keep watch on rain totals as WPC has introduced a MRGL ERO for the CWA for Monday/Tuesday. Temperatures should start to fall off with this system and a northerly flow afterwards with highs being in the mid 70s and lows in the mid 60s.
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&& .AVIATION /18Z Thursday THROUGH Tuesday/... VFR conditions will persist through at least 04Z with just some scattered cumulus clouds. The development of patchy fog is possible again tonight with TOL the most likely site to experience fog and possibly LIFR fog with visibilities of a half mile or less possible. Elsewhere, could see an hour or two of MVFR visibilities at FDY/MFD/CAK/YNG, mainly in the 09-13Z window. Some drier air may try to work in from the west tonight but think potential remains with surface high pressure and good cooling conditions. Winds will tend to be light through the period with winds initially out of the northeast, veering to southeast overnight and southwest on Friday morning. Lake breezes are likely again at CLE/ERI on Friday afternoon. Outlook...Primarily VFR expected through Sunday. Non-VFR possible in showers Sunday night through Tuesday, but this is low confidence for now. && .MARINE...
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There will continue to be a easterly flow across the lake with the high pressure situated to the east. A lake breeze should develop Friday afternoon/evening, but will be weaker than previous days with the approaching cold front. During the overnight hours winds will shift out of the southeast at 5-10 kts. The cold front on Saturday will be fairly weak, so impacts for the lake should be minimal. Sunday afternoon should see another day of a lake breeze setting up before another cold front moves into the region on Monday. Ahead of the front winds will be generally out of the south at 10-15kts until the boundary crosses the area and flow shifts to be more northerly into the mid-week. At this time, no small craft headlines are expected but there may be some windows with the approaching system early next week.
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&& .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...None. PA...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...KEC NEAR TERM...KEC SHORT TERM...Kennedy LONG TERM...Kennedy AVIATION...KEC MARINE...Kennedy