November roller coaster: today 5-10 degrees above normal with gusty winds, rain this weekend

COLUMBUS QUICK FORECAST

• This Morning: Mainly clear, breezy and mild.

• Today: Sunny, blustery and warmer. High 61
• Tonight: Partly cloudy, windy and cool. Low 43
• Friday: Mostly sunny, breezy and milder. High 62
• Saturday: Mostly cloudy, not so windy. 45/58
• Sunday: Mostly cloudy, afternoon showers. 44/60
• Monday: Morning shower, partly sunny. 40/50

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

The cold snap is being snapped. High pressure that meandered through the region yesterday is now centered over the mid-Atlantic coast. Here in the Ohio Valley we are sandwiched between that high and low pressure in the upper Midwest. The pressure gradient between the two is the reason it is windy here. Peak winds won’t be potentially as destructive as severe storm winds but 11-20 mph winds with 30-40 mph gusts will be likely. High temperatures will be around 60.

Because of that wind and the general dryness there is an enhanced risk of fire danger. Any fire is more likely to take off in these conditions. A Fire Weather Watch is in effect until this evening when the gusty winds will die down a bit. A Wind Advisory is in effect for northern counties including Marion where wind gusts are expected to be higher. There is a possibility of Red Flag Warnings.

High clouds will turn skies partly cloudy tonight. Winds will be lighter. Low temperatures will be in the low to mid 40s.

Tomorrow will be mostly sunny and not so windy, but with the continued southwest flow of warm air afternoon highs will be the low 60s.
Saturday a frontal boundary will be draped across the state not too far south of I-70 making it a mostly cloudy day. That will also reduce the high temperature a few degrees. For Sunday that same front will lift north as a warm front. High temperatures get back into the 60s. Rain showers, possibly thunder, will move through the region with an associated cold front. It dries out and cools off for Monday.

Happy Friday Eve!!

-Bob