Warm Christmas

Another week in December in which record warm temperatures and no snowfall has passed. Unfortunately tornado producing storms across the center portion accompanied a storm system that moved through the local area overnight. Christmas is looking much quieter but still mild over the majority of the country. The weather pattern becomes more active for the weekend and to close out the year. Above normal temperatures will generally hold sway for the next week though they will trend downward during the period.

Currently a cool front is located south of the area replacing yesterday's record  high temperatures with temperatures in the middle fifties (50's). Mostly clear skies produced a gorgeous day for last minute shopping even with the cooler temperatures. Record high temperatures occurred for many cities from the Northeast to the Southeast.

Yesterday's severe weather included numerous tornadoes across the Mississippi Valley. The most destructive storms struck northern Mississippi where a strong long track tornado traveled. The number dead from the storms is currently eleven (11). Approximately two dozen tornados occurred with the number sure to change as the damage is surveyed.

On Christmas the weather will be largely quiet for most of the nation. A cool front will transistion into a warm front as it moves north and overrunning rain begins to affect much of the Ohio Valley. Conditions locally will generally be dry but rain will begin to move north into the vicinity late in the evening and overnight. High temperatures locally will rise into the lower fifties (50's) Saturday is looking wet and mild with rain falling much of the day and high temperatures well into the fifties (50's). Severe weather will be possible across eastern Texas and Oklahoma.

On Sunday the cool front will slowly sag south across the region.  Rain will be likely and high temperatures will be in the lower fifties (50's). On Monday cooler air will flow into the area from the northeast as high temperatures only rise to around forty (40) degrees. Though much cooler than the past several days the high temperature will still be a few degrees above normal.

 

On Tuesday a storm system will track to the west of the area and bring milder air back into the region. Precipitation may start as a wintry mix before quickly transitioning to all rain. High temperatures will rise to near fifty (50) degrees. The cool front will move through overnight Tuesday and high temperatures on Wednesday will drop back to into the lower forties(40's) There will be a chance of rain showers early in the day.

Cooler air yet will move into the area on Thursday as a northwest air flow begins to affect the eastern part of the country. This will return temperatures to near normal for the last day of the year. Looking ahead temperatures more typical for winter appear in store for the area for the beginning of the month of January.

Brief "Cold" Period

After a warm week that featured a record high on Monday seasonable air has finally arrived. A series of cool/cold fronts have moved through the area this week and each has lowered temperatures several degrees. The latest moved through this afternoon and brought with it some brief moderate snow showers.  Lake effect snows have also begun to be generated downwind of the Great Lakes and will become more intense overnight. This decrease in temperatures will last about forty-eight(48) hours before much milder air returns to the area for all of next week. Looks like local residents will only be able to dream of a white Christmas this year!

Much more seasonable temperatures have finally arrived for the first half of this weekend. High temperatures today reached the upper thirties (30's) before a cold front brought temperatures below freezing and a few snow showers. Overnight temperatures will be in the middle twenties(20's). Lake Effect snow will begin begin in earnest overnight be focused over the prime snowbelt. Cold temperatures will hang on for Saturday as high temperatures only rise into the middle thirties(30's) at best. 

The lake effect snow tonight into tomorrow will be focused over extreme Northeast Ohio up to Western New York. Accumulations in and around Cleveland will be an inch or less with amounts closer to six (6) inches in Ashtabula. 

On Sunday mild air will return to the area. High temperatures will rise into the forties (40's) and light rain will be possible overnight. 

On Monday even more mild air will move in to the area as a low pressure tracks to the northwest of the area. High temperatures will warm into the lower fifties, depending on cloud cover, before the cool front moves through overnight with a general rainfall. Tuesday temperatures cool slightly but will remain above normal.

On Wednesday a stronger system than the previous one will approach the region and will pull more mild air into the region. High temperatures will rise at least into the upper fifties (50's)! Most of the rain will remain to the west until the overnight hours.

On Christmas Eve the storm system will track to the northwest of the region with the cold front moving through during the day. More rain will accompany the frontal passage and could be heavy at times. High temperatures in the upper fifties (50's) will occur early in the day with steady or slowly falling temperatures throughout the day.

Christmas is looking quiet but very mild for the local area and the country as a whole. It is estimated that only two percent (2%) of the population will experience a white Christmas this year. Locally high temperatures will be in the upper forties(40's) and dry conditions should prevail.
Looking ahead mild temperatures are expected to continue through the end of the month. If this forecast holds true December 2015 will be warmest December on record for Cleveland and one of the least snowiest as well!

Record December Warmth

The mild weather this week has many people wondering if the calendar reading December is correct. High temperatures the entire work week have been in the fifties (50's); well above normal readings for this time of the year. This weekend the warm weather will peak on Saturday and Sunday with high temperatures smashing record highs. A storm system organizing over the West will eventually track east and bring about a weather change. This is will be the first in a coupe active storm systems that will affect the area next week. 

Currently the area is located south of a weather boundary but north of even warming air moving north from the Gulf of Mexico.  Today's high temperature near sixty(60) degrees is twenty degrees above normal! Overnight warmer air will move north into the area setting the stage for an unseasonably warm weekend.

On Saturday the area may see rain showers in the morning as warm air moves north into the area. Once the rain ends temperatures are set to soar into the middle sixties (60's) across northern Ohio! Records will fall if the temperatures make it into the middle sixties (60's). The western system will begin to move into the central Plains during the day. 

Severe storms will be possible tomorrow for eastern sections of Oklahoma and Texas. Severe wind gusts and a few tornadoes will be possible with the strongest storms. The main ingredient lacking will be instability but shear will be present and could make for a few dangerous storms.

On Sunday the storm system over the central portion of the country move further east. The local area will remain in the warm sector with high temperatures in the middle to upper sixties (60's). Depending on the amount of sunshine high temperatures  may touch seventy (70) degrees! Once again records appear poised to fall.

On Monday a storm system will move into the western Great Lakes with a cool front moving through the area. The front will move through the area early in the day with some windy showers. Early morning temperatures near sixty (60) will slowly fall during the day. Tuesday will be cooler with high temperatures in the fifties (50's) though that will at least be ten degrees above normal.

 On Wednesday another storm system will affect the area. Moisture will be limited but a few showers should accompany it's passage. High temperatures on Wednesday will once again be in the fifties (50's). The air behind this front will cool high temperatures to around forty (40) on Thursday.

On Friday air out of the northwest will arrive into the local area. High temperatures in the upper thirties (30's) seem likely with a chance of snow showers. Next weekend temperatures currently appear to be seasonable cool with high temperatures in the middle and upper thirties (30's).  Moving into next week temperatures appear to rebound back into the forties (40's) casting strong doubts on the possibility of a White Christmas for the area.

Mild Fall Weather

November 2015 was the 4th warmest November in Cleveland history! Temperatures for the month averaged more than four(4) degrees above normal and snowfall amounted to nearly one half inch. This is in stark contrast to November 2014 when the average temperature was nearly seven(7) degrees below normal and nearly twenty (20) inches of snow fell. This mild temperature pattern does not show any signs of abating in the near term. Mild wet conditions will occur today before a mid-week cool down brings temperatures back to seasonable levels. As the weekend gets underway temperatures five to ten (5-10) degrees above normal will return. 

Currently a strong upper level storm system is spreading heavy snow across the Upper Plains. This storm system is affecting the local area with light rain and mild conditions. High temperatures today will rise well into the fifties (50's) A cool front will move through overnight allowing seasonal chilly air to return with high temperatures in the forties (40's) on Wednesday. Rain showers during the day may mix and change over to snow overnight. Little accumulation is expected. 

Thursday will be the coolest day of the forecast as high pressure begins to dominate the weather conditions. High temperatures will remain in the lower forties (40's) with a slight chance of snow showers especially early in the day. High pressure moves east across the area on Friday and will begin a period of calm and warming conditions. High temperatures in the middle forties (40's) on Friday will warm to a few degrees of either side of fifty (50) over the weekend. Skies should remain partly to mostly sunny the entire weekend.

The same weather pattern and conditions will continue on Monday as a storm system begins to move out from the Southern Plains. With air of Pacific origins across the country no Arctic air outbreaks are likely for the next seven days or more.