This weekend's weather is going to be wild, with warm, wet, and windy conditions. Let's quickly break down each of these three W's, including when to expect rain, and discuss the threat for severe storms on Sunday, so you know what to expect this weekend.
WARM: Overnight will not be nearly as cold, thanks to a warm front sliding through the region, bringing southerly winds and more clouds. Lows will be in the 50s and 40s rather than the 30s. That trend will continue in the afternoon. Highs are expected to reach the upper 70s and low 80s on Saturday! It will not be as warm on Sunday (although still above average), thanks to a trailing cold front moving through that will bring widespread rain and storms.
WET: On that note, let's discuss rain chances.
- Saturday: A few morning downpours should be expected, but those will exit by mid-morning with plenty of dry time for the rest of the day with a mixture of sun and clouds. By Saturday evening, we will be watching storms in western Ohio, but most of our viewing area will be dry until Sunday. After some sunshine during the afternoon, clouds will be returning ahead of the cold front by Saturday evening.
- Sunday: Rain chances will really ramp up Sunday morning from west to east. It will remain wet for the rest of the day and potentially linger into Monday. Heavy rain will be possible along with strong winds. A few strong or severe storms cannot be ruled out. I will discuss winds/severe threats in greater detail below.
To get an idea about the timing of rain/storms this weekend, scroll through the images of Futurecast below. Be sure to note the timestamp on each graphic.
WINDY: Winds will be increasing gradually throughout the weekend, with a peak occurring ahead of the cold front that crosses our region on Sunday. As of Friday evening, the highest winds are expected on Sunday morning. A wind advisory may be issued.
- Saturday morning & afternoon will be breezy with southerly winds with gusts of 20-25 mph.
- Saturday evening, southerly wind gusts will increase to over 30 mph.
- Sunday morning/early afternoon looks to be when wind gusts are the strongest and could be over 40 to 50 mph. Keep this in mind if you are going to the Browns Game on Sunday.
- Sunday evening will still be breezy, but winds look to begin to subside with gusts between 20 and 30 mph.
- A gale watch has been issued by the National Weather Service for portions of Lake Erie from Sunday morning through Sunday night. Southwest winds 25 to 35 knots with gusts up to 45 knots and waves 7 to 12 feet are possible. Strong winds can cause hazardous waves, which could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility.
SEVERE POTENTIAL: There is a chance for a couple of storms to become strong or severe, with isolated higher wind gusts. A severe wind gust is 58 mph and can cause damage. As of Friday evening, the Storm Prediction Center has placed all of the Power of 5 viewing area under a marginal risk for severe weather. That is a level 1 out of 5. The main threat will be those damaging winds of 58 mph or greater. However, it is important to remember that we are expecting widespread strong winds that could bring down branches, toss outdoor decorations around, and even cause power outages.
Bottom line, regardless of whether we see any severe thunderstorm warnings, the weather will be very impactful on Sunday, and my hope with this article is to get you weather aware well before the wind and rain arrive. Be sure to tune into News 5 this weekend for the latest updates to the forecast. If and when any advisories, watches, or warnings are issued, we will be sure to let you know.
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