Climate & Environment

Ohio Braces for Midweek Storms Before Cooler, Drier Pattern Sets In

By Ryan Martin

Ohio starts the week with sunny skies and comfortable conditions for Labor Day, as temperatures remain near normal to slightly above normal but well below the intense heat and humidity experienced the previous week. Humidity levels will begin rising by midweek as a frontal boundary moves through the Great Lakes region. This front may bring isolated showers or thunderstorms to northwestern Ohio Wednesday afternoon, though most of the state should stay dry until later that night. Rain and thunderstorms are expected to spread across the rest of the state Thursday, with rainfall totals of half an inch to two inches likely across nearly 95 percent of Ohio during this Wednesday-through-Thursday period. Once the front passes, cooler and drier conditions will return for the end of the week and into the weekend. This dry pattern is expected to continue through most of next week. Some minor disturbances may drift in from the north early next week, particularly Monday, and another front is expected to pass through Tuesday evening and overnight, though neither system is expected to bring significant moisture. By late next week, noticeably cooler air is forecast to move in from the north, marking the season's first real cool snap. While this shift will not cause major disruptions, it will end the recent stretch of above-normal temperatures. Current forecasts do not indicate improved chances for rainfall heading into the weekend of the 21st or the following week.