Blustery, colder with flurries, brighter Thursday

In the wake of intense low pressure that crossed the Great Lakes into eastern Canada, strong winds will slowly diminish through the afternoon, with drizzle and flurries ending. Temperatures will remain steady in the mid-30s. Skies will partially clear overnight, but with gusty southwest breeze persisting.

A weak clipper system will pass north of Ohio late tonight, bringing a few snow showers to the northern counties early in the day on Thursday. Skies will turn partly sunny, as high pressure builds in, with temperatures back up to 40 degrees. 

Clouds will thicken Thursday night ahead of a major storm system forming in the southern Plains on Friday that will bring rain later in the day and at night.

Expect big changes behind this storm, which will draw polar air into the region over the weekend, accompanied by strong winds gusting to 40 mph on Saturday, driving the wind chill factor into the single digits. Any accumulation with snow showers will be light.

The weather will be very cold Sunday and Monday. Temperatures will only reach the low 20s, after starting off in the teens. There is a slight chance for some snow with a southern storm.

Forecast

• Wednesday: Cloudy, windy, flurries. High 36
• Tonight: Winds diminish, partial clearing. Low 31
• Thursday: Partly sunny, breezy. High 41
• Friday: Rain develops, breezy. High 45 (31)
• Saturday: Snow showers, windy, colder, falling to 20s. High 31 (29)
• Sunday: Mostly cloudy. High 22 (14)
• MLK Day: Light snow, frigid. High 20 (13)
• Tuesday: Partly sunny. High 16 (6)