


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Cleveland, OH
Issued by NWS Cleveland, OH
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753 FXUS61 KCLE 031815 AFDCLE Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Cleveland OH 215 PM EDT Thu Jul 3 2025 .SYNOPSIS... High pressure will build across the area for Friday into Saturday. A cold front will approach the region from the west on Sunday into Monday, followed by another area of high pressure for Tuesday. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... Main concern for the near term period will be the potential for isolated showers and thunderstorms this evening and in the afternoon and evening hours for the Fourth of July, particularly across Northwest Ohio. No severe weather is expected for the near term period. The shower and thunderstorm potential this evening will be driven by a weak cold front/trough axis draped across Michigan, evident on the backside of a more potent upper-level trough currently entering New England. Did slightly increase PoPs to around 30% across far Northwest Ohio for this evening as a developing lake breeze could aid surface convergence with the approaching trough. For the Fourth of July, maintained and slightly expanded low-end PoPs (around 20%) across Northwest Ohio as a weak mid-level shortwave traverses the northern periphery of building high pressure across the Ohio Valley. At the surface, a weak warm front may also aid in the potential for a few showers or storms. Does not appear to be a total washout, but will be something to watch over the next couple of forecast iterations. Generally seasonable to slightly above average temperatures are expected for the Fourth of July with highs in the mid to upper 80s. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... The latest model guidance indicates that most areas will see a dry, sunny, and hot Fourth of July weekend, though there remain a few targets of opportunity that could produce some showers and storms. The first of these targets will be Saturday afternoon and evening as a warm front lifts northeast through the area. Weak surface convergence aided by a lake breeze may result in a few isolated showers and storms in the afternoon and evening across Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania. The second and perhaps higher potential for showers and storms will be late Sunday afternoon and evening across Northwest Ohio as a cold front moves east through the Upper Midwest and into the Great Lakes region. At this point, the highest precipitation chances appear just to the north and northwest of the area, though there remain some timing differences amongst model guidance. Above-average temperatures are expected for the Fourth of July weekend, with afternoon heat indices reaching the mid to upper 90s. A few isolated and brief pockets of heat indices reaching 100 degrees are possible on Sunday. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... Main concern for the long term period will be on Monday as a cold front pushes east through the area. Westerly mid-level flow is not particularly strong (~25 knots), though could certainly see a few stronger storms develop if trends persist, particularly across the south and southeast portions of our area. Monday will feature the highest coverage of showers and storms across the area for the long term period. Otherwise, a mainly-dry forecast is favored for Tuesday as the front settles to the south and high pressure builds in from the north. Unsettled weather may return for Wednesday and Thursday as a troughing regime develops across the Eastern CONUS with a stationary front just to the south of the area. && .AVIATION /18Z Thursday THROUGH Tuesday/... Aloft, NW`erly flow persists through 18Z/Fri as a ridge builds from the northern and central Great Plains. At the surface, the ridge continues to affect our region as the core of the ridge moves from the western Great Lakes toward the eastern Great Lakes. Our regional surface winds trend W`erly to NW`erly around 5 to 10 knots through ~00Z/Fri. Thereafter, surface winds are expected to trend light and variable through 18Z/Fri. However, another Lake Erie lake breeze is expected to develop on Fri, shortly after 14Z, and affect KCLE and KERI. Primarily VFR and dry weather are expected through the TAF period. However, isolated showers and thunderstorms may develop via daytime heating and along portions of a Lake Erie lake breeze front between ~19Z/Thurs and ~22Z/Thurs. Brief MVFR to IFR remain possible with any shower or storm. Greatest potential for showers/storms in our region exists roughly along and southwest of a KTOL to KCAK to KPIT line. Any showers/storms are expected to dissipate by 01Z/Fri. Outlook...Non-VFR are possible with periodic and isolated showers and thunderstorms during the late afternoon through evening hours of Friday and Saturday, respectively, and again Sunday afternoon through Monday. && .MARINE... Waves of 3 feet or less and wind speeds of 5 to 15 knots are expected on Lake Erie through this Tuesday. A lake breeze will dissipate early this evening and be followed by primarily NE`erly to E`erly winds tonight as a ridge continues to build from the western Great Lakes. On Friday, the core of the ridge is expected to settle over the eastern Great Lakes. Winds will trend onshore during the late morning through early evening hours due to development of another lake breeze. Primarily E`erly to SE`erly winds later Friday evening are expected to veer to S`erly to SW`erly by daybreak Saturday as the ridge begins to exit E`ward and a warm front sweeps N`ward across Lake Erie. Primarily S`erly to SW`erly winds then persist through Sunday as Lake Erie remains along the western flank of the departing ridge. SW`erly winds should veer gradually to N`erly during Sunday night through Monday evening as a cold front drifts S`ward across the lake. Behind the front, another ridge should build from the northwestern Great Lakes through Tuesday. Mainly N`erly winds Monday night into Tuesday morning should give way to lake breeze development during late Tuesday morning through early evening. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...None. PA...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Kahn NEAR TERM...Kahn SHORT TERM...Kahn LONG TERM...Kahn AVIATION...Jaszka MARINE...Jaszka