Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Cleveland, OH

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625 FXUS61 KCLE 171345 AFDCLE Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Cleveland OH 945 AM EDT Fri May 17 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Weak low pressure will influence the region through Saturday before high pressure returns Saturday night through Monday. The high will shift east of the area Monday night as the next system approaches from the west. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/...
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9:30 AM Update... Showers remain widespread as of 1330Z with abundant moisture and lift from broad upper diffluence and the right entrance of a 75-85 knot H3 jet streak. The most widespread coverage is along and east of I-71, but renewed development is taking place in NW Ohio closer to the aforementioned jet streak, and these will move east through early this afternoon. With all of this being said, expanded the likely and categorical PoPs farther west this morning into mid afternoon to reflect a slower end to the most widespread showers. Most QPF will be 0.25 inch or less. 630 AM Update... Showers continue to progress east across the area. Still can`t rule out some thunder in the heavier pockets of rain. Made a few adjustments to PoPs based on latest radar trends, but otherwise no significant changes needed with this update. Previous Discussion... Weak troughing will influence the local area today with a couple of shortwaves lifting across the CWA this morning and again this afternoon. Showers, currently over the western portion of the area, will continue to spread east across the local area through this morning before largely exiting to the east by early afternoon. There`s a little bit of instability in place this morning, so can`t rule out a few rumbles of thunder within more convective showers. Instability increases during peak diurnal heating this afternoon and there will be plenty of moisture in place so scattered showers and thunderstorms could develop this afternoon before diminishing this evening. While showers will be progressive this morning, unseasonably high PWATs in addition to very weak steering flow will could result in slow-moving showers/storms and potential for locally heavy rainfall. With that being said, the scattered nature of precipitation will keep the flash flooding potential relatively low. The severe weather threat is also low given weak shear. Patchy fog will likely develop tonight due to residual low level moisture and light and variable surface winds; moisture from today`s precipitation will likely add additional moisture that could lead to patchy dense fog. Shower and thunderstorm chances continue into Saturday as weak low pressure meanders into the Ohio Valley. PoPs should largely be influenced by terrain, so the highest chance PoPs are largely confined to the southern half of the CWA. Similar to today, slow-moving showers/storms are possible due to high PWAT values and weak steering flow. Highs will be in the 70s today with the warmest temps in the upper 70s expected near the I-75 corridor and lower 70s more likely across NE OH and NW PA. Tonight`s lows will fall into the upper 50s to lower 60s with Saturday`s maximum temps climbing into the mid to upper 70s (NE OH/NW PA) to lower 80s (NW OH).
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&& .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... The short term forecast period for much of the weekend into Monday will be quiet. An upper ridge will build into the eastern CONUS with a trough being subverted south into the Southeast United States. The ridge across the region will allow for high pressure to build front the northeast and hold firm across the area through Monday. The surface high will move east on Monday and allow for a warm front to lift north across the region. A shortwave will try to ripple through the upper trough on Monday night, but this energy may hit a wall with the ridge and trends are drier for Monday night. Temperatures will be above normal for the 3rd weekend of May, as 80s are becoming increasingly favored. Mid 80s will be favored by Monday with the warm front through the area. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... The dry pattern with the upper ridge across the region will breakdown for the middle of next week. However, the trends for this pattern evolution continue to be slower with the wettest day landing firmly on Wednesday for now. A deep upper trough will enter the central US on Tuesday and progress east with several waves through the week. One wave will start to break down the ridge on Tuesday and nudge it eastward with the main wave entering on Wednesday with the main trough axis crossing the region by Wednesday night. Have PoPs increasing through the period with the highest PoPs on Wednesday. The PoPs on Tuesday may be a bit high as the first wave may not do much for generating convection in the forecast area. A more progressive region will set up for the end of the week and have residual chance PoPs through the end of the period. All in all, temperatures will be above normal for any time period ahead of the trough axis, or Tuesday and Wednesday for now. Temperatures will return toward normal for the end of the week. && .AVIATION /12Z Friday THROUGH Tuesday/... Showers continue to push east this morning and generally expect a mix of VFR and MVFR conditions with brief pockets of IFR possible. Showers should largely exit to the east by late morning, but additional scattered showers and perhaps thunderstorms may persist well into this afternoon, primarily from KFDY to KCAK and locations south. Scattered MVFR conditions in lower ceilings and maybe patchy fog could continue through early afternoon before conditions begin to improve from the west. Light winds and lingering low level moisture will result in patchy fog development areawide overnight, which will likely produce MVFR/IFR conditions towards the end of the period. South/southwest winds 5 to 10 knots are expected today before becoming light and variable this evening. Outlook...Non-VFR possible with showers and thunderstorms Saturday and again on Tuesday. && .MARINE... The forecast for Lake Erie through the first days of next week is very quiet with limited weather of note. Today will likely be the most active day on the lake with light southeast flow and a window for showers and thunderstorms with a weak system moving through the region. High pressure will return for Saturday and Sunday and light, generally northeast flow will be favored across the area for the weekend. A warm front will cross the lake for Monday and southeast flow will return to the lake. Southerly flow will continue into Tuesday and increase ahead of a low pressure system that will move through the Northwest Great Lakes for the middle of the week. No marine headlines are expected at this time. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...None. PA...None. NY...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Maines NEAR TERM...Garuckas/Maines SHORT TERM...Sefcovic LONG TERM...Sefcovic AVIATION...Maines MARINE...Sefcovic