286 FXUS61 KCLE 191836 AFDCLEArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Cleveland OH 236 PM EDT Fri Sep 19 2025
.SYNOPSIS... A ridge affects our region through Saturday night as the embedded high pressure center moves from northern Ontario toward Maine. During Sunday through Sunday night, a warm front drifts generally northward through northern Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania. Behind the front, a separate ridge builds from the southern Appalachians and vicinity through this Monday.
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.NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/... Aloft, a ridge axis moves from the western Great Lakes, Mid OH Valley, and vicinity this afternoon to near eastern Lake Ontario and the NYC metro area by sunset Saturday evening. At the surface, the ridge continues to affect our region as the embedded high pressure center moves from northern ON toward southern QC. Fair weather is expected to persist as stabilizing subsidence accompanies the ridge. Tonight`s lows are expected to reach the lower 50`s to lower 60`s in northern OH and the upper 40`s to mid 50`s in NW PA around daybreak Saturday. Clearer sky over NW PA will contribute to greater nocturnal cooling. On Saturday, late afternoon highs are expected to reach the 70`s to lower 80`s in NW PA and mainly the mid 70`s to upper 80`s in northern OH amidst intervals of sunshine. The coolest highs are expected across essentially the northern-third of our CWA, where surface winds will be NE`erly at times and associated with synoptic-scale net low-level CAA and mesoscale net low-level CAA from ~70F Lake Erie.
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.SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... During Saturday night, our region will be located along the western flank of the above-mentioned ridge at the surface and aloft as the ridge begins to exit generally E`ward. Primarily fair weather is expected as stabilizing subsidence accompanies the ridge. However, very isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible, especially in the northern-half of our CWA, since moist isentropic ascent along the upper-reaches of a warm front may release weak to moderate and elevated CAPE as the surface portion of the front begins to approach from the Mid OH Valley and vicinity. Increased cloud cover courtesy of the moist isentropic ascent and developing net low-level WAA will result in milder lows around daybreak Sunday. Lows should reach the mid 50`s to lower 60`s in NW PA and mainly the upper 50`s to mid 60`s in northern OH.
Cyclonic SW`erly to W`erly flow aloft becomes established over our region and embedded shortwave troughs impact the Lake Erie region and Upper OH Valley on Sunday through Monday night. At the surface, the warm front will drift generally N`ward through our region Sunday through Sunday night. Behind the front, a separate ridge associated with a warmer and more-humid air mass originating over the Gulf and southern Gulf Stream will build into our region as the embedded high pressure center remains located in vicinity of the southern Appalachians. Periodic showers and thunderstorms are expected as weak to moderate instability, including elevated instability, is released by the following: moist isentropic ascent along the upper-reaches of the warm front and ahead of the shortwave trough axes; low-level convergence and moist ascent along the surface warm front and subtle surface trough axes that will accompany the shortwave troughs aloft. Late afternoon highs are expected to reach the upper 70`s to mid 80`s on Sunday and the mid 70`s to lower 80`s on Monday, when greater cloud cover should contribute to less diurnal heating. Overnight lows are expected to reach mainly the upper 50`s to mid 60`s around daybreak on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, as the more-humid air mass and greater cloud cover contribute to reduced nocturnal cooling.
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.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... Overall, official forecast certainty is reduced during this time period due to discrepancies in NWP model solutions regarding weather pattern evolution at the surface and aloft, especially beyond Tuesday night. In general, primarily SW`erly to especially W`erly flow aloft and embedded shortwave disturbances should affect our region during the long-term period. At the surface, a cold front should sweep SE`ward through our region during the daylight hours of Tuesday. Behind the front, a ridge associated with a cooler and less-humid air mass should impact our CWA through Friday as the embedded high pressure center moves from northern ON toward New England and vicinity. However, periodic showers and thunderstorms should impact our region on Tuesday through Friday as at least weak instability, including elevated instability, is released by the following: moist isentropic ascent preceding the shortwave trough axes; low-level convergence and moist ascent along the surface cold front and subtle surface trough axes accompanying the shortwave troughs aloft.
Daytime highs on Tuesday are expected to reach the 70`s, prior to the cold front passage. Daytime highs should reach mainly the upper 60`s to mid 70`s on Wednesday through Friday, respectively. Lows should reach mainly the mid 50`s to lower 60`s around daybreak Wednesday and then mainly the upper 40`s to mid 50`s around daybreak Thursday and Friday, respectively, as net low-level CAA impacts our region.
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.AVIATION /18Z Friday THROUGH Wednesday/... A cold front continues to sag southward, with northerly to northeasterly winds around 10kts for the area. Some low to mid level clouds expected for eastern terminals this afternoon, eroding this evening as high pressure keeps the forecast dry. East northeast winds persist through the remainder of the forecast with select terminals gusting to 20kts after 10Z Saturday.
Outlook...Non-VFR with scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible Sunday through at least Tuesday.
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.MARINE... A cold front crosses Lake Erie early this morning, with east- northeast winds around 10-15 knots developing and persisting through early Saturday night. A period of stronger wind speeds around 15 to 25 knots is expected Saturday afternoon, for which a brief, marginal small craft advisory and beach hazard statement may be needed for at least a portion of Lake Erie (especially east of the islands). Latest model guidance has 60-80% chance of >=3 ft waves from 18Z/Sat to 03/Sun, so confidence is pretty high that we will see at least a moderate chance of rip currents and we will be close to headlines on Lake Erie.
A warm front lifts north across the lake Saturday night, with winds veering to out of the south on Sunday and then out of the southwest Sunday night through Monday night. Wind speeds will generally be 10-15 knots, though there may be brief periods (on the order of a few hours) Sunday and Sunday night when speeds reach 20 knots or so. A cold front crosses by Tuesday or Tuesday night with east-northeast flow thereafter.
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.CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...None. PA...None. MARINE...None.
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SYNOPSIS...Jaszka NEAR TERM...Jaszka SHORT TERM...Jaszka LONG TERM...Jaszka AVIATION...26 MARINE...Saunders
NWS CLE Office Area Forecast Discussion