Summer Polar Vortex??

The past week has been rather cool for Northern Ohio. Though news of a summer vortex swirled in the news, the cool conditions were simply the result of a strong trough of low pressure moving across the Eastern USA. The past seven days featured a day time high that remained in the 60’s and a pleasant weekend; although Saturday was occasionally rainy. A brief warm-up commenced on Sunday and today much of the area is experiencing seasonable temperatures with highs in the 80’s.  Temperatures will peak on Tuesday before temperatures return to a few degrees below normal on Thursday. By the weekend temperatures will return to near normal levels.

Today the area is experiencing warming conditions as high pressure is allowing warm and muggy conditions to overspread the area. High temperatures have risen back into the 80’s area wide. A storm system is organizing over the Upper Plains and will likely generate a severe weather outbreak later today across this area.  Tuesday will be the hottest day of the week as the heat located over the middle portion of the country moves east. High temperatures tomorrow for the area will be a few degrees on either side of 90 degrees.

On Wednesday a cool front will approach the area late in the day. Before the front arrives temperatures should rise into the middle 80’s. Showers and thunderstorms will move through the area late Wednesday into the overnight hours. The front will usher in much cool temperatures on Thursday as high temperatures will remain in the 70’s under sunny skies. Similar conditions will maintain for Friday.

On Saturday temperatures will begin to warm back to around 80 as the high pressure moves off to the east of the area. On Sunday the next storm system will approach with a threat of showers and thunderstorms. 

Hurricane Arthur and Several Tornadoes

The weather is much calmer than the previous week for the Eastern United States. This time last week Arthur was strengthening into a hurricane and a cool front was moving through the Ohio Valley with the promise of delightful weather for the holiday weekend. Recently the return of warm conditions gave way to severe weather across Northern Ohio and into the Northeast. Several tornadoes touched down and many areas experienced damaging winds. The weather pattern is calming down for the time being as a trough is beginning to set-up over the Eastern US. Before that gets establish the temperatures will warm as the weekend approaches before the next system moves through early next week.

Hurricane Arthur made landfall on Eastern North Carolina late on July 3, 2014 as category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 100 mph. This was the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the US since Hurricane Ike in 2008. The system moved through quickly by the next morning and brushed extreme Eastern Massachusetts with tropical storm conditions. No lives were lost and damage at this time appears to be minimal.

Severe weather including two (2) tornadoes in Medina county affected the area yesterday.  All the tornadoes were weak with damage mostly limited to downed trees and roof damage.

A weak tornado also touched down in Mahoning County doing minimal damage.

Currently Northern Ohio is experiencing tranquil conditions with high temperatures in the upper 70’s. Similar conditions will last across the area through Friday.

On Saturday a warm front will move through the area bringing a return to warm conditions with temperatures in the middle 80’s and a chance of thunderstorms. 

Warm conditions and the threat for thunderstorms will continue through Monday when a strong cool front moves through.

Next week is shaping up to be a very cool one for the region. A strong ridge will build over the West Coast and that will allow a deep trough to form over the Great Lakes region. Once the front moves through on Monday, temperatures next week will be around ten (10) degrees below normal

July 4th Forecast

The very warm and muggy conditions that the region has been experiencing since Saturday is on the verge of ending. One weak cold front moved through Tuesday without developing much precipitation and without bringing the area much cooler or drier air. Today a stronger front will push through during with evening with a slight chance of thunderstorms along the front. This will set the area up for a cool and comfortable Thursday and 4^th of July.  High pressure with push east on Saturday allowing warmer and more humid conditions to return starting on Sunday.  The first system of the 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season formed on Monday and it will threaten Eastern North Carolina early Friday morning.

Currently the area is experiencing the last day in a series of very warm and humid days that begun on Saturday. Temperatures reached 90 degrees on Saturday and have remained in the mid to upper 80’s since with dew points in the middle 60’s to lower 70’s.  There is a slight chance for a shower or thunderstorm on the front as it moves through the area. High temperatures on Thursday and July 4^th will be in the lower to middle 70’s with comfortable humidity.

On Sunday temperatures will warm-up in earnest as the flow returns out of the south and west.  Humidity will also be on the increase during the start of the work week with the chance of thunderstorms increasing as a storm approaches the area for mid-week.

The big weather story this week for the nation is the season’s first Atlantic tropical system.  It formed off the Florida coast from a surface low that moved off the Southeast US coast. As of the 2pm advisory it is a strengthening tropical storm with 60mph winds moving north at 7mph.  It is expected to strength to a hurricane during the next 24 hours as it moves very close if not over Eastern North Carolina early Friday morning.