WEDNESDAY WEATHER BRIEFING

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING!

Our dry stretch continues today...we have not had rain since the 11th of the month. Thankfully the start of April was wet so we are in no danger of things getting TOO dry.Precip Almanac.pngHigh pressure is off to our east today and this will provide plenty of sunshine and a nice warm up after a chilly start.thisamsfc.pnghighstoday.png

FINALLY RAINDROPS

The atmosphere will moisten up on Thursday and while the day is certainly no washout, there will be some showers around at times. The highest risk of wet weather looks to be in the afternoon and evening.thurdee.pngShowers will linger into part of Friday. There may be a drying trend in the afternoon.fridee.pngWe also have an outside chance for thunder Thursday afternoon and again on Friday.Rain totals should shake out to around 1/2 inch.ModelRain.jpg

PLEASANT APRIL WEEKEND

The weekend is looking good! Sunday will be the warmer half of the weekend and both days will feature some sunshine. Not as warm as this past weekend but still quite nice.satmapp.pngsunmapp.png

EARLY NEXT WEEK

That front that you see on Sunday's map. It will make for forecasting headaches across the region early next week. There will be a HUGE temperature difference across the boundary, perhaps on the order of 35-40 degrees. How far south will the front wobble Monday? I suspect it will not come this far south...but if it manages to, temperatures could be in the 40s instead of the upper 60s!mondayy.pngmontemps.pngEither way, some showers are likely Monday and Tuesday.

2 DEGREE GUARANTEE

Bummer....cool northeast wind kept the temperature from rising as high as we thought Tuesday. 3 degrees off.Calendar.jpg

WEATHER FOR WEATHER GEEKS: 

The Valley’s most detailed weather forecast is “Weather For Weather Geeks”! This evening's video will be loaded up with detailed information about the unsettled weather coming our way for the end of the work week. We'll examine the models for clues about next week's pattern as well.  Weather For Weather Geeks will be on ericwfmj.com and wfmj.com/weather as well as the StormTracker app by 8:00pm.

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TUESDAY WEATHER BRIEFING

GOOD MORNING!

80 degrees on Monday for the 2nd consecutive day....the last 80 degree reading for a while. But it's not like we are heading into the deep freeze or anything. A weak front is sliding through the region this morning with little fanfare. There will be more clouds in the sky today, especially this morning.now.pngBehind this front, we will have to "settle" for temperatures 8-9 degrees above average today. Boo hoo!highstoday.pngAfter a chilly night tonight with some back yards seeing temperatures in the upper 30s, tomorrow looks EXCELLENT with afternoon temperatures in the lower 70s.wedsmap.png

DRY STREAK ENDS

The long stretch of dry weather will finally come to an end Thursday into Friday. The most active period should be Thursday afternoon and night, with a decrease in showers on Friday.thursmap.pngfrimap.pngModels are pointing toward about a half inch of rain.ModelRain.jpg

WEEKEND STARTS NICE

We look for sunshine and dry weather on Saturday. Highs close to average around 60 or so.saturdaysfcmap.pngA shower may try to sneak in by late Sunday but overall the weekend is looking tranquil.

LONG RANGE:

Temperatures will be near to somewhat above average in the medium range and then a better chance for sustained anomalous warmth will come as we head into May.KYNG_2016041900_min_max_16.png

2 DEGREE GUARANTEE

April has been a good month and we got back on track yesterday after underestimating the warmth on Sunday.Calendar.jpg

WEATHER FOR WEATHER GEEKS: 

The Valley’s most detailed weather forecast is “Weather For Weather Geeks”! This evening's video will have a fresh take on the late-week rain, the weekend forecast and the forecasting headaches that we have for early next week. As usual, "Geeks" will have a look at the long range as well.   Weather For Weather Geeks will be on ericwfmj.com and wfmj.com/weather as well as the StormTracker app by 8:00pm.

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MONDAY WEATHER BRIEFING

GOOD MORNING!

We are back after an AMAZING weekend. 80 degrees Sunday for the first time since September 18. Bright blue sky and low humidity. It was perfection.Today? More of the same! In fact it might be a degree or two warmer this afternoon.ndfd_t2max_cleveland_1.pngThe pattern that was responsible for the amazing late-week/weekend weather is still in place. An "Omega Block" remains stuck over the US, with the "good part" of the block (the ridge) right over us.omega.png

TUESDAY: "NOT AS WARM"

A weak cool front will slip through with little fanfare late tonight and early Tuesday. We expect no rain with this. We will notice that tomorrow is "not as warm", but still above average with highs well into the 60s.tues.png

IT WILL RAIN AGAIN.

This amazing run HAS to end at some point and finally the pattern will break down enough to allow some moisture to head our way at the end of the week. After a nice Wednesday, some showers are likely Thursday into Friday.weds.pngthurs.pngfriday.png

THE WEEKEND

At this point, I think the weekend will be nice overall. Saturday is very likely to be dry...if we see any weekend showers it would be on Sunday. Highs remain above average (but it will not be as warm as this past weekend).satmap.png

QUICK LONG RANGE THOUGHTS

Overall, it looks like a mild to warm pattern through the end of April. A cool day here and there, sure....but overall above-average. Precipitation is likely to be below average for this time of the year. May could be toasty!

WEATHER FOR WEATHER GEEKS: 

The Valley’s most detailed weather forecast is “Weather For Weather Geeks”! This evening's video will will elaborate more on the long range but we'll also take a look at the forecasting challenges in the near term.  Weather For Weather Geeks will be on ericwfmj.com and wfmj.com/weather as well as the StormTracker app by 8:00pm.

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MONDAY WEATHER BRIEFING

GOOD MORNING!

This will be a short one today. Spring is about to return in a BIG way.BUT, today looks like a Monday. A cold front is trudging slowly eastward and it about to get held up even more  by a wave of low pressure over the Deep South.nowradThe result will be an unsettled day here, although the rain will not fall the entire day. In fact, there may be a decent lull around midday/early afternoon. Steadier rain will be back for late this afternoon and early this evening.15 hour futurecast:hrrr_2016041110_ref_cleveland.gif

REST OF THE WEEK: SNOOZE N' CRUISE!

A pretty dramatic pattern reversal will take place starting Tuesday. A trough of low pressure will dig into the West and a ridge of high pressure will pop over the East. The pattern will "lock in" for several days.gefs_z500_noram_19.pngChilly Tuesday but then back to average and above average Wednesday through the weekend.KYNG_2016041100_min_max_16.pngSan Diego Weather! Hardly a cloud in the sky Wednesday through Sunday. Grab the shades.

Xz9ypThCqqyUo.gif

WEATHER FOR WEATHER GEEKS: 

The Valley’s most detailed weather forecast is “Weather For Weather Geeks”! This evening's video will focus mostly on the long range since the next week will be beautiful but BORING.  Weather For Weather Geeks will be on ericwfmj.com and wfmj.com/weather as well as the StormTracker app by 8:00pm.

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BLOG: MORE APRIL SNOW COMING

2016 has been weird so far. January was pretty typical but February and March were MUCH warmer than average. Now it seems that April is trying to do it's best March impression. We had some accumulating snow and strong winds last weekend and now another round of accumulating snow is looking likely for Friday night and Saturday morning.

THE SYSTEM RIGHT NOW

This thing is not much to look at at the moment, just a weak disturbance in the Upper Midwest. It will strengthen as it pushed south and east.500now.pngTemperatures will get into the 40s Friday afternoon so as the precipitation returns Friday evening, the air temperature should still be in the mid and upper 30s. So the snow will have a hard time sticking at first. There may even be some rain drops initially, mainly south of Rt 30.gfs_ptype_slp_ma_8The atmosphere will cool overnight and the snow will continue to fall. It will stick to non-paved surfaces first but eventually any untreated surfaces can start to pick up some accumulation.gfs_ptype_slp_ma_9gfs_ptype_slp_ma_10.pngAs the wind turns around to the north Saturday morning, some lake-effect/lake-enhancement will get going, adding to totals...mainly in the snow belt. Snow will taper to flurries in the afternoon. It will look and feel like January.gfs_ptype_slp_ma_11.png

IMPACTS

Travel will be impacted the most between midnight and 9am Saturday. Treated roads should be just fine for much of Saturday. Even though it will be cold and cloudy....the strong April sun can still have an impact, helping to melt snow on paved surfaces much faster than it can in January.impacts.png

SNOW TOTALS

Here's the tough part. Current computer modeling (for locations near the airport) shows roughly 1-3 inches:Model Snowfall Graph.pngWhile this is valid for areas near Vienna, it may be a decent representation of the entire WFMJ viewing area.Odds of our viewing area picking up 1" or more are pretty high. European model has those odds around 70-90%:1inch.pngThe odds of 3" or more are quite a bit lower, which lends credence to the idea that this will be a 1-3" type of event.3inch.pngHighest risk of 3" or more is probably in the primary snowbelt: Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, Ashtabula counties.This should NOT be one of our biggest April snow events on record. Who remembers 1987?BIGAPRILSNOW

We'll put out an "official" snow forecast this afternoon. Be sure to download the Storm Tracker 21 app to have the latest forecast at your fingertips.

 

WEDNESDAY WEATHER BRIEFING

GOOD MORNING!

This morning was not as frigid as yesterday morning and today is our "oasis" in the overall pattern. A warm front is pushing across the region this morning:nowmappIn the wake of that front, temperatures will blast off during the midday and afternoon. We expect highs in the 60s this afternoon. The other thing we will notice today is the wind, which can gust to 35-40 mpg this afternoon. I don't think we will mind with the warm temperatures.Shower timing has not changed much since yesterday.....we look for rain drops to push in between 7-9pm on average. 15 hour simulated radar:hrrr_2016040611_ref_cleveland.gifShowers will stick around into at least part of the day tomorrow. Models are advertising about 1/3"-1/2" of rain in total:ModelRain.jpgBy late Thursday, temperatures will have cooled enough that there may be a few snowflakes across northeast Ohio and western PA:latethurs.png

BACK TO THE DEEP FREEZE

Friday and Saturday will be COLD. There's also a chance for some accumulating snow Friday night and early Saturday as this system rolls across. Some lake-effect/lake-enhancement will get going as the arctic air blows over the lakes.earlysaturday.pngI think there is a fair chance of a small accumulation of snow...perhaps an inch or so? Well hone in on this over the next 24 hours.eps_snow_m_ma_17.pngHigh temperatures Saturday.....more like February.HIGHSAT.pngSunday will be the nicer half of the weekend. Still quite chilly with highs in the lower 40s. Some sunshine as well.

sunday.pngLONG RANGE

Next week will still be below average overall but the temperature swings should not be as dramatic as this week.

KYNG_2016040600_min_max_16.png2 DEGREE GUARANTEE

Longest streak of 2016!Calendar.jpg

WEATHER FOR WEATHER GEEKS: 

The Valley’s most detailed weather forecast is “Weather For Weather Geeks”! This evening's video will of course have a long update on tonight's rain and wind, as well as the possibility of snowflakes Thursday evening. Plus, a much more thorough look at the chance for accumulating snow Friday night.  Weather For Weather Geeks will be on ericwfmj.com and wfmj.com/weather as well as the StormTracker app by 8:00pm.

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TUESDAY WEATHER BRIEFING

GOOD MORNING!

Brr! A low of 19 this morning....not a record (16)  but unusual for this late in the season. The average date of the last sub-20 reading in Youngstown is March 24. Here's the date of the last sub-20 reading for each year since 2000:lastsub20Today will be nice and sunny as a dome of high pressure drifts across. Cold though with highs 15-16 degrees below average.nowmapp

BRIEF WARM UP!

Wednesday will stick out like a sore thumb in this pattern. With a gusty south-southwest wind, temperatures will soar into the upper 50s to near 60. Aside from the wind, which can gust to 40 mph, it will be nice until late afternoon or early evening. That's when showers will push in from the west ahead of the cold front.lateweds.pngA 1/2 inch of rain can be expected by late Wednesday night/early Thursday.ModelRain.jpgOn Thursday, temperatures will hold steady then fall....and it may be cold enough for...sigh...snowflakes in the afternoon.latethurs.png

FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY: APRIL OF FEBRUARY??

This will be an impressively cold air mass that will be overhead Friday into the weekend. Flurries will be seen Friday and Saturday. Highs Saturday may not be much above freezing.friday.pngsaturday.png

LONG RANGE

While the pattern will be "less cold"next week, it will still be cooler than average much of the time.KYNG_2016040500_min_max_16.pngNot a very warm pattern beyond that either. Not cold...but not the kind of pattern that will produce 70s and 80s like we get sometimes in April. Day 15-25 outlook:cfs_anom_t2m_conus_2016040500_x101.png

WEATHER FOR WEATHER GEEKS: 

The Valley’s most detailed weather forecast is “Weather For Weather Geeks”! This evening's video will examine the long range to see if there are any signs of warmer weather before April is through. Plus an update on Wednesday's wind, warmth and late-day rain.  Weather For Weather Geeks will be on ericwfmj.com and wfmj.com/weather as well as the StormTracker app by 8:00pm.

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MONDAY WEATHER BRIEFING

Good morning! Happy Monday....

After 1-2" of snow Saturday night, Sunday was a "decent" day, just cold for early April. As we head into a new work week, the cool weather will continue. Temperatures spiked into the lower and middle 50s early this morning but it was a VERY deceptive start to the day with temperatures expected to tumble quickly over the next several hours.currtempsStrong cold front is pushing across the state this morning.nowmapThe rest of today will feature variable clouds. A stray flurry can't be ruled out this afternoon.This is a LEGIT cold air mass that is sweeping in. Lows tonight will slip into the upper teens. The record low is 16 at YNG airport.lows.png

TUESDAY: BEST DAY OF THE WEEK

And it will still be chilly! But that strong April sun will help matters.tues.png

REST OF THE WEEK: NOT SO GOOD

Warm air will get dragged northward Wednesday and temperatures will get back into the 50s. But....a cold front will provide increasing clouds and some rain by late Wednesday and Wednesday night.wednight.pngThat front will sweep eastward Thursday and it could be another day with falling temperatures.thurs.pngCould there be snowflakes seen before the day is through?? Maybe.Friday will be blustery and cold. Another taste of February or early March. Chance for flurries.friday.png

ONE MORE COLD WEEKEND

The weekend is looking cold but a better pattern awaits beyond it. The center of the anomalous cold will be overhead Saturday:sat850.pngThe pattern beyond this does not look "warm" but it does look more "typical" of this time of the year.KYNG_2016040400_min_max_16.png

WEATHER FOR WEATHER GEEKS: 

The Valley’s most detailed weather forecast is “Weather For Weather Geeks”! This evening's video  will have a full update on the midweek changes, the potential for record-challenging cold and a long look at the long-range trends.  Weather For Weather Geeks will be on ericwfmj.com and wfmj.com/weather as well as the StormTracker app by 8:00pm.

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BLOG: WEEKEND SNOW (NO FOOLIN'!)

Good morning!In the wake of last night's storms we will be left with a relatively uneventful day today with temperatures in the 50s. There might be another shower this evening.

Now, about the weekend.

Snow in April in northeast Ohio/western PA is not unusual at all...especially during the first half of the month. From a climate standpoint, a little over 4% of our annual snow accumulation occurs in April. Snow Percent By MonthBut of course March was warm (4th warmest on record) and it put most of us in the mood for true Spring. Well we'll get there but not just yet.A compact "clipper" system will dive into the southern Great Lakes late Saturday:satevening.pngWhile this might start as a rain/snow mix or even just rain briefly Saturday evening, a quick changeover to snow will occur. There will be some lake-enhancement as the cold air blows over the open water.The ground is warm, yes, but this is coming at night, giving the snow a better chance to stick. Especially to non-paved surfaces. The snow can come down at a decent clip for a while (especially north of I-80), also helping it to stick to the warm ground.Models showing an inch or so for the I-80 corridor:ModelSnow.jpgI think this is reasonable for areas north of Youngstown. I could even see how someone gets 2 inches in northern Mercer and northeast Trumbull. For areas south of I-80, a coating to 1/2" is certainly possible.This will be long gone by the time most are up and at em' Sunday morning (just leftover flurries) so I am not expecting road issues Sunday morning.