Ohio Valley Braces for Mixed Precipitation, Temperature Swings as Fronts Pass Through Columbus and Cincinnati

Weather patterns are shaping up to bring a potpourri of precipitation to the Ohio Valley, as a warm front and a subsequent cold front make their way through the region. The National Weather Service predicts occasional showers and a few thunderstorms starting late tonight, continuing through Monday morning. Residents near Columbus and Cincinnati will experience a noticeable temperature gradient today, with the mercury swinging from the mid-60s in the north to near 80 degrees in the southern parts of the area.

Transitioning through a front that has nudged just south, the region will witness the front lifting back north as "a mid-level short wave lifting out of the southern Plains," bringing developing low pressure, primarily lifting north across our area later this afternoon, the NWS reports. As the evening sets in, the surface low is expected to continue whipping northeast into the western Great Lakes, eventually pulling the warm front through our area tonight. This brings a chance for isolated showers and thunderstorms, particularly "lifting north across our area through this evening," according to the NWS forecast discussion.



Then, a cold front will enter the fray later on, moving east and signaling an end to precipitation from the west come Monday afternoon. While tonight's temperatures will hover in the upper 50s to mid-60s range, there is an interesting twist for Monday's highs, which will range from near 70 in the far west to the mid-70s in the far east, given the cooling effects post-cold front. The weather saga continues into the week with a "quiet and dry stretch," where sun and clouds will play a game of hide and seek until around Thursday, when shower and storm chances creep back into the forecast.

Air travelers should keep an eye out for potential disruptions. Although VFR conditions are expected to prevail during much of the TAF period recognized by the forecast, "some brief periods of MVFR conditions will be possible with the shower activity," the NWS adds. Come Thursday, those traveling may encounter more MVFR conditions and a chance for thunderstorms.

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