The day started with scattered showers and thunderstorms, as expected, and now we’re seeing mixed clouds and areas of sunshine across the Tri-State as things quiet down before a large storm takes aim on the Midwest and Ohio Valley.
Most areas received less than .25 inch of rainfall overnight, and with a wind shift to the west and northwest, temperatures are about 10 degrees cooler than yesterday at this time. However, with light winds and some sunshine, most areas will reach the low 60s (upper 50s north) today. We’ll be dry through the afternoon and evening, but significant change is on the way.
Showers and thunderstorms are already hitting west Texas and western Oklahoma with numerous large hail reports already coming in and severe weather watches out in those areas. Severe weather is expected to break out across most of Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, parts of Missouri and Louisiana later today…and those storms will be heading our way later tonight.
The cold front (leading edge of cooler air) that moved south of us earlier today has stalled south of the Ohio River and will begin moving north as a warm front (leading edge of warmer air) by late tonight. Warm fronts tend to be very active at night in the spring, and this one will be no different. Showers and thunderstorms will develop along the warm front from Missouri into Illinois and Indiana overnight, moving into parts of the Tri-State between 8 AM and noon tomorrow. The warm front will shift north of the area by Friday afternoon and evening as highs head for the lower 70s, though areas north of the front (Dayton, Lima, Columbus, Muncie) will stay in the 50s and low 60s with more clouds and a slightly better threat for rain through the day.
The powerful low pressure area pushing the warm front northward will move into Iowa by Friday morning with a strong cold front extending south along the Mississippi River into Arkansas. Along and ahead of that front, strong to severe thunderstorms will develop Thursday afternoon in the plains and western Midwest, and then race eastward into the Tri-State area by Friday morning. We will likely have heavy rain and possibly some strong or severe storms here before daybreak on Friday.
As the cold front approaches, a new line of thunderstorms will develop Friday afternoon as the cold front finally crosses the Tri-State, and many of those storms will become severe. The atmosphere will be setting up for large hail, damaging winds and even tornadoes both Thursday night and Friday, and a significant severe weather event is possible in the Tri-State area!
Much colder air arrives for the weekend with cloudy skies and highs generally in the 40s with lows in the 30s. A few light showers are possible both Saturday and Sunday. The cold continues into early next week with highs holding in the 40s to mid 50s Monday and Tuesday as well…quite a change after the recent warmth.
Get the latest on the severe weather threat on tonight’s Weather Rush, the Nation’s first and only "live" web weathercast each night (M-F) at 7 pm eastern time at SkyeyeWeather.com, and if you want the current weather along with my 7-day outlook, area web cams, radars and more, check out the Skyeye Weather Daily Weather
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Today's Numbers for Cincinnati
Today's Normal High: 62 Today's Normal Low: 41
Record High: 85 / 2001 Record Low: 15 / 1997
Monthly Precipitation through yesterday: 1.81 inches. Normal month-to-
date: 1.04 inches.
Annual Precipitation to date: 19.02 inches Normal year-to-date:
10.61 inches
Pollen: 130 Poplar / Cedar ... Mold: 473 / Low
Sunset Tonight: 8:09 PM, Sunrise Tomorrow: 7:09 AM
Rich Apuzzo 
Rich@skyeyeweather.com
www.skyeyeweather.com
