Unlike December
Posted by Ryan
Cleveland was a little bit abnormal over the past couple of days. And that's a good thing, if you don't like having to fight through lake effect snow, that is. Temperatures were in the 40s Monday and Tuesday, and they stayed dry through the 48 hour stretch. Not bad for December. Accuweather came through with the top forecast.
Actuals: Monday, High 43, Low 20
Tuesday, High 46, Low 24
Grade: C
Chilly Day By The Lake
Posted by Anthony
The large upper low that's been pestering the Eastern US earlier this week has finally moved out of the area! For Cleveland, the rainly, cold Monday improved into Tuesday, as it stayed dry in the city. Was a tight race, but the NWS and Weatherbug tied for the win.
Monday: .36 inches of precip in rain showers. High 56, Low 45.
Tuesday: High 68, Low 49.
Forecast Grade: C
Lincoln, Nebraska to Cleveland, Ohio
Posted by Ryan
We are scheduled for a trip through the Corn Belt today, and on into the Great Lakes. It will take a day and a half, a bit further than I expected. It's an 850 mile trip, and our pace of about 63mph will allow us to cover 502 miles the first day. Let's check out some corn!
DAY ONE
The first day in the drive will be the perfect weather for a day in the car, if you ask me. It won't be too hot, it will be dry, with no rain or humidity. Clouds won't be an issue, and we will be on the same stretch of road all day. We should make excellent time to New Lenox, Illinois, on the south side of Chicago, and out destination for day one.
DAY TWO
The upper level low that never moved for two weeks? It's starting to move. OF course, given its history, I'm not ready to say it will definitely be OUT of Cleveland when we arrive. In fact, I bet we hit a sharp change from sun to clouds around Sandusky, with maybe a spit of drizzle as we pull into Cleveland.
Cleveland, Ohio
Posted by Ryan
They call Cleveland the Mistake by the Lake. I harbor no ill will for Cleveland, and I hope the forecast doesn't turn into a big mistake by said Lake.
At 624PM, ET, Cleveland was reporting a temperature of 46 degrees with cloudy skies. Northerly flow off of Lake Erie was bringing in low clouds and rain, and while Cleveland International Airport was not reporting any rain, virtually every site around the city was.The Lake's proximity to the city was no doubt leading to more moisture laden low clouds, as opposed to some of the more impressive radar returns to the east.
The same, slow moving upper low that has beset the Great Lakes and New England in cool air, wind and rain for the last two weeks or so continues to spin across the area in a slow, wobbly rotation. Passing showers will continue to be in the forecast tomorrow, however a very strong ridge over the center of the country will begin to force the low out of the area, which will mean greatly improved conditions on Tuesday.
Tomorrow - Cloudy with rain, High 62, Low 46
Tuesday - Early drizzle, becoming clear, High 67, Low 51
TWC: Tomorrow - Cloudy with occasional rain showers. high 59, Low 48
Tuesday - Chance of a shower or two during the morning High 65, Low 54
AW: Tomorrow - Times of clouds and sun with a stray shower; breezy High 62, Low 49
Tuesday - Partly sunny high 66, Low 53
NWS: Tomorrow - Showers likely, mainly before 11am. Cloudy, High 60, Low 47
Tuesday - A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny High 67, Low 51
WB: Tomorrow - Cloudy. Showers likely...mainly in the morning. High 58, Low 50
Tuesday - Partly sunny.High 66, Low 51
This radar is a little less impressive than what is probably going on. It's almost like a winter time raday, because all of the clouds bringing the rain are low topped.
Beaumont, Texas to Cleveland, Tennessee
Posted by Ryan
We are looking at a nice little 4th of July Road Trip. Well, 5th and 6th of July, if we are being honest with ourselves. It will take a day and a half to cover 760 miles. The route we take will allow us to cover ground at a pace of 65.1mph, giving us 521 miles under our belt after the first day. Also, we get see America. So that's nice.
DAY ONE
Leaving Beaumont tomorrow morning, it will be hot and humid. Driving through southern Louisiana, it will be hot and humid. Then, as we make out way through Mississippi and eventually into Alabama, it will be hot and humid. All this heat and humidity will eventually lead to some day time thunderstorms essentially from Lafayette, Louisiana to Tuscaloosa, the destination for day one. The heaviest rain and thunderstorm activity, at this time, appears like it will be just off to the northwest of our route, but I wouldn't put ay stock in that. There are going to be storms everywhere.
DAY TWO
As I said, the day would end (and the next would begin) in Tuscaloosa, site of one of a few devastating tornadoes that rocked the country this Spring. Take the time to appreciate the hard work residents of Tuscaloosa are putting in to get back on their feet.
The drive from Tuscaloosa to Cleveland will be similar to the one from Beaumont to Tuscaloosa, though with out the prolonged period of assured dry weather, as we had from Beaumont to Lafayette. The drive will be done in the early afternoon, so at the very least, it's possible that thunderstorm coverage won't be widespread by the time we arrive in Cleveland to polish off our trek.
Snow reaches into Tennessee
Posted by Ryan
Obviously, the snow they saw in eastern Tennessee in the mountains surrounding Cleveland were nothing compared to waht they saw in and around the Great Lakes, but they still saw 3-8 inches on either side of the city yesterday as a cold front intercepted the Appalachians and squeezed out as much moisture as possible. Nearby Chattanooga reported only a third of an inch of snow down in the valley. Of course, Cleveland doesn't have an observation, so we can't really issue a true verification, just know that in the area, there was a lot of wet snow, especially at elevation, and nearby locales reported about a quarter inch of rain.
Also, while we are on the topic of that epic snow storm, check out this image from the NOHRSC with the snow totals from the weekends blizzard. Up around a foot and a half in the Twin Cities, down to the 8 or so inches on the west slope of the Appalachians by Cleveland. It was a doozy of a storm
Of course, discussion of this storm wouldn't be complete without commenting on the fact that the weight of the snow actually caused the roof of the Metrodome to collapse!
Cleveland, Tennessee
Posted by Ryan
We have been to Cleveland, Tennessee before, and we know that they are really close to Chattanooga and don't have their own reporting station. Oh well.
At 1253PM, ET, the Chattanooga Valley was seeing temperatures in the mid-40s with partly cloudy skies. The area was in the last reaches of an area of Arctic high pressure, and with a strong developing system in the central Plains, Cleveland looked to be preparing for a spike in temperatures tomorrow. A cold front will develop with this system, so warm air will not be long lived.
The warm air generated by the system will be tapped into by the cold front plowing into the Cleveland area. Late Saturday into Sunday morning, heavy rain and some embedded thunderstorms will plow through Cleveland, dropping up to an inch of rain on the city, leading to the threat for flash flooding. At the onset of the stormy weather, don't be surprised to see some strong straight line winds. During the day Sunday, temperatures may drop enough that there will be a chance for some flurries on Sunday afternoon.
Tomorrow - Sunny and warmer, with rain and some thunder late, High 56, Low 29
Sunday - Rain in the early AM, turning to snow in the afternoon, High 34, Low 24
TWC: Tomorrow - Mostly cloudy skies early. A few showers developing later in the day High 53, Low 29
Sunday - Snow showers possible.(rain early), High 41, low 30
AW: Tomorrow - Mostly cloudy with afternoon showers High 53, Low 28
Sunday - Windy and colder with periods of snow, 1-3"; watch for a rapid freeze up in the afternoon High 43, Low 21
NWS: Tomorrow - A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 4pm. Mostly cloudy High 54, Low 26
Sunday - A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy (snow late) High 40, Low 25
WB: Tomorrow - Mostly cloudy. A slight chance of rain showers early in the afternoon. A chance of rain showers late in the afternoon. High 54, Low 27
Sunday - Mostly cloudy. Rain showers likely in the morning... Then rain showers likely and a chance of snow showers in the afternoon. Brisk...colder. High 41, Low 35
Problems abound with this forecast. You have the issues with Sunday definitely being a non standard day and TWC/WB not having hourly temps that far out yet, and don't worry, the NWS has a 90% chance of rain overnight Saturday into Sunday. Satellite is eerily quiet, given what's coming.
I can at least guarantee it was dry
Posted by Ryan
The issue with Cleveland, Tennessee, for our purposes anyways, is that the city is served by Chattanooga's airport, so it's impossible to say what the actual temperatures were, but the air was clear with high pressure building into eastern Tennessee. I can at least guarantee that. If we WERE verifying against Chattanooga, then the Weather Service would have had the top score, but as it is, we don't really know for sure who had the best forecast.
Actuals in Chattanooga: Thursday - High 75, Low 53
Friday - High 65, Low 42.
Cleveland, Tennessee to Chicago, Illinois
Posted by Anthony
From the Southern Appalachians to shore of Lake Michigan, this trip will cover 625 miles. We'll split it up into 2 days and give you a bit of an overnight rest in Indianapolis. Away we go!
DAY ONE
As we travel northward to Knoxville then onwards to Lexington, clear skies and calm winds greet us as high pressure looks to take hold over much of the Mid MS Valley and OH Valley. It'll be more of the same as we make our way past Cincinnati to Indianapolis, our stop for the night.
DAY TWO
Nothing much else to speak of today either, as high pressure over the region will keep the trip from Indianapolis to Chicago dry and only seeing a few high clouds. Time to put on the sunglasses and visit Navy Pier!
Cleveland, Tennessee
Posted by Ryan
With Lebron James losing last night, we're going to celebrate by forecasting for Cleveland. But, uh, not THAT Cleveland.
At 453PM ET, Cleveland was seeing a temperature of 69 degrees with mostly cloudy skies. Cloudy were pooled into the Chattanooga valley, but eastern Tennessee was post frontal, and should be done for the day where thunderstorm activity is concerned. A very large dry slot will fill into eastern Tennessee over the next couple of hours.
The trough that generated the extremely potent system across the eastern half of the country has stymied the advance of anything in it's wake. A massive ridge of calming high pressure will build into the southeast tomorrow and Friday, but the clear skies will allow for some chilly overnight lows and a below average day on Friday.
Tomorrow - Sunny, High 71, Low 50
Friday - Sunny and much cooler, High 66, Low 40
TWC: Tomorrow - Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon high 71, low 57
Friday - Mainly sunny High 65, Low 39
AW: Tomorrow - Pleasant and not as warm with brilliant sunshine High 68, Low 48
Friday - Sunshine against a deep blue sky and pleasant High 64, Low 36
NWS: Tomorrow - Sunny High 71, Low 53
Friday - Sunny High 65, Low 37
WB: Tomorrow - Sunny, High 71, Low 51
Friday - Sunny, high 62, Low 38
A little post frontal high pressure. Lucky for them in Cleveland. The radar shows the scattered showers sneaking into the Appalachians, away from town.
