Sauna

(6 a.m. National temps, notice the kinking of temps in Indiana and the sharp contrast over in the Plain's...the kinking in Indiana is the warm front, and the sharp contrast is the cold front...where they meet is the low).


(Latest surface chart showing the warm front entering the western part of the region).

Well today is going to feel like a saune for those of you who do not like this warm weather. We have that warm front crossing through Indiana right now and that is going to make its way across the region throughout the day today. Places like Toledo could break their daily record high today. In Toledo, the record high for this day is 83° and that was set in 1977...and the record low is 18° set in 1989, however I do not expect that we will break that record low today...and if we do, then I will quietly quit my job as a meteorologist.

Places like Fort Wayne and Toledo, and even Cleveland are really going to get on this warm weather once that front passes. And not only are you going to get involved with this warmer weather, but some wind will also be available for the entire day. As all this warm air from the south is being pushed upwards...it will be being pushed up rapidly which means that we could see winds gusting to about 40 mph later this afternoon in Fort Wayne and perhaps some places to the east as well.

Tracking our low pressure down in the Plains right now, we have it at 994 mbs and it is located in southern Minnesota right now. It is causing for some storms in the Green Bay area and over in the Traverse City, Michigan area this morning, but again the main concern will be gusty winds and some very small hail (storm spotter reports pending). Another line of storms is off to your west in Green Bay and those appear that the majority of that cluster will pass off to your west, but you might get another storm before the morning is over with.

(Radar image centered at Green Bay, 7:01 a.m. ET, 6:01 a.m CT).

So for the day today across much of the southern region. We're going to watch as that warm front makes its way across the region, and that is really going to raise temps to near daily record highs for a lot of places. It'll be interesting to see if anyone gets their records beat today. We could get an isolated/pop up thunderstorm (isolated meaning that a pop up storm -- one that works because of daytime heating -- could form in random somewhere within a region...GLWX definition) anywhere between Fort Wayne and Cleveland late this afternoon because I am starting to expect that we will get some clearing in those skies. If we get that clearing...BOOM...welcome to a sauna, because it'll feel like it. With all this heat and this warm air rushing in, do not be surprised if later this afternoon we pick up maybe a single storm somewhere in the region, but in general I do expect that most of them will not occur until tonight after midnight.

After midnight tonight, we're going to watch that trailing cold front from our low presssure system cut through the area. It will start to produce thunderstorms, some which could be strong, anytime after midnight tonight in places like Fort Wayne, Detroit, Toledo and Cleveland. Erie and Buffalo might not see their storm chances really increase until about sunrise tomorrow morning.

These storms are going to lose some of their luster as the front cuts through the region, but as of now, I am going to say that Erie and Buffalo could pick up maybe one strong storms tomorrow, amongst the several that you'll be seeing tomorrow.

So for right now, lets go over a timeline here for the weather across the region, eh.

Today, low pressure system moves through Minnesota/Wisconsin tonight and that will cause for some storms in the Green Bay area through the morning. Preceeding warm front from the low will push through the region today and raise temps to the lower 80's across the region.

Tonight, cold front begins to work its way through the area, however it wont really start to pass through the area until tomorrow morning. Lows tonight for most of us will be in the 50's. Thunderstorms will be likely in Fort Wayne to just west of Cleveland any time after midnight. Some of those storms could be strong, but most will just be typical spring time storms. Biggest concern with the storms will be brief strong winds and some small hail...but a good lightning show if we get them overnight.

Tomorrow, cold front starts to work through the area, thunderstorms likely in Detroit, Fort Wayne and Toledo in the morning, and then it'll become scattered rain showers as that front moves closer. Highs tomorrow for a good portion of the region will remain in the 60's. Erie and Buffalo will start to see some thudnerstorm activity, some of which might also be strong, but a majority will be typical.

Tomorrow night, front begins to pass through the entire region, clearing skies and lowering temps down into the 40's for most of the region.

I'll keep you updated as always, and I'll have more coming up again this afternoon and we'll take another look at this system and see if anything will change. I'll update those extended forecasts again in the afternoon. Also, I'll be typing about the plans for "Storm Updates" if they are going to be needed and how they will be formatted. So do check back this afternoon, because I'll have more information for you so that you wont get caught off guard come tonight and tomorrow morning. But for now, I am Timmy Albertson and that's the weather! Keep checking back for updates because I'll have them for you as always.