Buckeye State Weather

What Month Is This Again?

2012-01-05T22:50:00.002-05:00

If you happen to click on the buttons at the top listed as Ohio Forecast of simply Forecast, you'll notice something amazing for this time of the year. First is the fact that there are five days in a row not expecting any precipitation, at all! Secondly you'll notice daily highs in those five days ranging from 42 to 50 degrees. That is between 10 and nearly 20 degrees above normal for this time year the year!

One thing is certain and that is Weather always has a way of balancing things out. If we were to go the remainder of the winter season and receive no snowfall, somewhere in early spring we will pay back! It's inevitable. So enjoy the spring preview and lack of winter weather for now. It's probably going to hit us hard sooner or later. Question is, when?

Hang On To Your Hat!

2012-01-02T09:41:00.000-05:00

I trust you all had a good New Years Eve and Day and I hope 2012 is a sight bit better for you than 2011 was. The calendar turned and so did the weather on Sunday. Mild temperatures were the rule for the entire State at the start of the day but that soon changed with the passage of a cold front. It was plain to see where the front was by the wind speeds increasing and immediately changing direction from a southerly component to a more westerly direction. Here are a few high wind speeds noted from Ohio on Sunday. If I can locate a list I will publish it later.

RICKENBACKER AFB NEAR COLUMBUS... 58
CAMBRIDGE 3.8NE... 55
WOOSTER 7N... 46

And Then There Was...

2011-12-28T07:57:00.000-05:00

Good Wednesday morning to one and all. Well we have made it to the mid way point in this shortened work week. Let's take a look at the national conditions affecting our weather this morning.

High pressure is building into the region from two locations. The first of which is in southern Canada and it is pushing colder more 'seasonable' air down into Ohio for this time of year. The second of which is located in the deep southern part of the Mississippi Valley and it will be the main influence on a moderating trend starting Thursday.

Since 7 p.m. Tuesday lake effect snows have fallen in the usual northeast Ohio locations. The heaviest being 3.6" in Hambden Township in Geauga County. The second heaviest is at Shaker Heights with 3.0" in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Here in Cambridge just a Trace fell, with none of it accumulating on the ground.

High pressure moving in and low pressure moving out is also causing gusty westerly winds. In the last 15 minutes winds gusted to 31 mph as i was preparing this report. While today will be a chilly day with strong winds, it is not going to stick around. To this point we still have not had any "real winter" weather and the question remains when will it (Winter) weather arrive? Have a great Wednesday!

Let Us Look At Cambridge

2011-12-26T00:14:00.001-05:00

The last post I made before this one was to look at the past 10 years in the way of precipitation totals for my station in Newcomerstown. Now while I have not lived in the Cambridge area all that long, I have kept records daily since January 1st, 2007 for Cambridge. That is nearly five full years. What I decided to do was to look at these records for the first five years of my book for Cambridge and compile that information on a bar chart. Soon I will place Newcomerstown and Cambridge on the same chart, side by side to compare the two for the last five years.

The "Normal" Or The "Extraordinary"?

2011-12-23T23:31:00.000-05:00

Lately several people have asked me where this year fits in with total precipitation. Have the last several years been this wet? Well I went through my Newcomerstown book and came up with the information contained in this chart. A very interesting point here is that the record high amount of precip and the record low amount of precip are both in this 10 year period!

Some Numbers From Wednesday

2011-12-22T07:29:00.000-05:00

As aa warm front moved through Ohio in the morning and a cold front blustered through in the afternoon, all sorts of wind gusts were reached and enough rain fell that added to already high numbers. For instance, the following wind gusts were reached as far as I know.

Newark, OH Airport 45 m.p.h.
Cambridge 3.8NE 45 m.p.h.
Port Columbus, OH Airport 53 m.p.h.

Here are some precipitation figures I ran across last night.

Port Columbus set a record with 53.55"
Cleveland Hopkins Airport has had 62.00"+
Cambridge 3.8NE has had 57.88"
Newcomerstown had had 54.48"
Chevoit, OH has had 72.00"+

Needless to say these numbers will be added to and finalized by the first of January. Until then, remember that summer and dry weather (I hope!) is just six months away. And happy first day of Winter to you all!

Warm and Wet

2011-12-21T07:19:00.001-05:00

A warm front is making its way through Ohio, south to north this morning. Many areas are already in the upper 40s to upper 50s and in fact Ironton at the 7 a.m. report was a balmy 61 degrees! Not a bad temperature to have at this time of the morning on the last full day of Autumn in Ohio!!

Don't worry, plenty of rain is still on tap for the Buckeye state as well National Weather Service Radar from Wilmington indicates plenty of liquid falling at 7:10 a.m. and a good bit of it is moderate to heavy. You can see the radar grab on the left side of this post. (Click the image for a full size view).

The colder weather will return just in time for the Christmas Holiday. It may not look like Christmas due to the lack of snow on the ground, but it will feel like Christmas with the seasonably cold weather. Have a good Wednesday everyone and don't be surprised if you hear a rumble or two of thunder today!

Rain Rain Go Away!

2011-12-20T07:54:00.000-05:00

Good Tuesday morning to you. Yet another round of rain has invaded the Buckeye state and it looks as if it will be here until at least Thursday afternoon. Rainfall will not be non stop but on and off, just enough to make roads wet and hazardous at times with the possibility of ponding water. According to the latest precipitation forecast that I have seen, the eastern parts of Ohio between 7 a.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday could receive at least one half inch of liquid. Not bad, but not dry either. At least temperatures will be milder Wednesday with highs expected to reach the middle 50s in the eastern part of Ohio. Some locations along the Ohio River could briefly touch the 60 degree mark.

The map on the left shows what the liquid content of expected precipitation will be across the United States between 7 a.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday. Click the image for a full size view. Have a great Tuesday, stay dry and be safe!

A Sunny Start

2011-12-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Another red sky at morning graced the eastern Ohio landscape, but will the relatively clear skies remain with us through sunset? This mornings weather map has low pressure developing over the region of Texas and New Mexico. It will pull copious amounts of moisture northward and this is predicted to overspread the area late Monday afternoon into evening. It will then continue through Wednesday when low pressure will move north and east of Ohio pulling the mess out with it. Total rainfall amounts could exceed one inch for the entire storm. Little if any snow accumulation is expected, but it is possible snow will mix with the rain as a warm front moves through Tuesday. More later, enjoy you Monday!

There You Have It!

2011-12-18T01:29:00.000-05:00

Well, no sooner did I open my mouth about the lack of measurable snowfall, we end up with 0.8" of the white fluffy stuff on Saturday December 17th. This snow had a good bit of liquid in it as it ended up at a 10:1 ratio exactly. Liquid content was .08". This photo was taken around 10 p.m. Saturday evening of some of the larger flakes falling along with a mostly covered pine tree in our yard. By afternoon Sunday this snow will be nothing more than a memory. Enjoy as it will likely be the only snow that is measurable for at least another week.

A white Christmas? Well, I am still of the opinion that we will not have a white Christmas. It will be too mild and I just don't see it happening. The only white we 'may' have would be a few flurries. But I think even those would be few and far between.

Some of This, A Little of That

2011-12-17T11:40:00.001-05:00

Cloudy skies and scattered light flurries are making up Ohio's morning weather story this 17th day of December. With only 14 days remaining in the month, and the year for that matter, you have to wonder if the lack of measurable snow will continue. I've called it "Snow Drought '11-12". So since much of the remainder of Saturday will be cloudy, seasonably cold (in the 30's for the most part) and uneventful, I decided to compare some numbers regarding snowfall and cold. We will compare my two stations, Newcomerstown and Cambridge.

Let us take a look at total snowfall through December 16th to begin with in Cambridge...

In 2007 there had been 11.2"
In 2008 there had been 6.4"
In 2009 there had been 0.7"
In 2010 there had been 5.8"
In 2011 there has been 0.0"

Now let us take a look at Newcomerstown for the same time frame, through December 16th...

In 2007 there had been 10.2"
In 2008 there had been 6.2"
In 2009 there had been 0.9"
In 2010 there had been 5.5"
In 2011 there has been 0.0"

So as you can easily see we have, at least for the last five years, gone the longest time without measurable snowfall.

As for the cold comparison, that's an easy one. I'll show you what the coldest reading for the season had been through December 16th for each location starting with Cambridge. You might be surprised at the numbers...

In 2007 we had dipped to 6 degrees
In 2008 we had dipped to 13 degrees
In 2009 we had dipped to 14 degrees
In 2010 we had dipped to 6 degrees
In 2011 we have dipped to 14 degrees

Now let us take a look at Newcomerstown for the same time frame, through December 16th...

In 2007 we had dipped to 5 degrees
In 2008 we had dipped to 12 degrees
In 2009 we had dipped to 13 degrees
In 2010 we had dipped to 9 degrees
In 2011 we have dipped to 15 degrees

There you have it. Mother Nature has a way of balancing things out. I know we will not go the entire winter season without measurable snow. If we do, look out! We may, however, at this rate challenge the records for least amount of snow for a Winter season. Needless to say, to be continued!

Snow Drought

2011-12-16T08:04:00.000-05:00

This mornings is cloudy, like Thursday. No rain falling, very little breeze and temperatures have fallen to the upper 20s to mid 30s for the most part. High pressure is going to make a run for Ohio and clear us up later today or early evening, but a low pressure is developing along the cold front that blustered its way through Ohio last night. That low is currently located near Houston, Texas. It will move north eastward today and over the weekend along the frontal boundary. The question is will the front move far enough east along with the low pressure system to just give us clouds on Saturday. Only time will tell but I would say yes.

So as the title of this post reads, we continue in our Snow Drought. We have had no measurable snowfall yet this winter (11-12) and there are already rumors out there to the extent of saying very little snow at all. After the last two years, I think I'm ready for a break from all the winter weather. Have a great Friday everyone!

Changeable Day

2011-12-15T07:39:00.000-05:00

At 7 a.m. across Ohio windy and rainy conditions persist. A cold front is expected to make its way through the Buckeye state today (Thursday) and as the front passes, windy conditions will continue. As you can see on the forecast surface map for 7 p.m. Thursday the front will have already cleared all but south eastern Ohio. As with previous cold fronts this fall, colder conditions as well as dry weather will follow. This again will cut off virtually any chances of even a few flurries across Ohio.

At 7 a.m. in Ohio temperatures ranged from 59 at Marietta to 54 degrees at several locations. Here at Cambridge it is 52 and in Newcomerstown it is 54 degrees. Be careful driving with the possibility of ponding water and gusty winds. Have a great Thursday!

*** CLICK THE PHOTO TO THE LEFT FOR A FULL SIZED VIEW. ***

Rain Today, Thunder Tomorrow?

2011-12-14T08:12:00.000-05:00

Good morning. A warm front will make its way through Ohio today ushering in much warmer air to the region. High's Wednesday will approach or pass the 60 degree mark along the Ohio River and on Thursday those readings will make it as far north as I-70. With the milder air in place and a cold front approaching the Buckeye State on Thursday some thunder is possible. Much colder air will settle in after the cold front moves through, but not bitter. Expect up to an inch of rainfall (locally heavier) through Thursday. In the mean time a steady light rain pattern will set up over Ohio on Wednesday. Whatever the weather where you live, have a great Hump Day!

Warm, Warmer, Warmest...

2011-12-13T06:54:00.000-05:00

Partly cloudy skies block the bright moon light from time to time here in eastern Ohio this Tuesday morning. With sunrise still an hour away the only light is from a passing vehicle or the receding moon to the west. Looks as if those clouds will be on and off throughout the day today as milder air on the back side of High Pressure located in Virginia continues to affect our weather. Another High just as strong is located in southern Canada. I point this out because between the two High's is a Stationary Front and it's not having any luck making forward progress due to the fair weather producers. That will change.

Milder air will continue to be pumped into the Buckeye State through Thursday until the previously mentioned front moves through, dropping temperatures some 20 degrees. But fear not because those daily highs will rebound to the lower 40's by weeks end. Daily highs will touch the 60 degree mark Thursday ahead of the cold front. So even though you may be a snow and cold weather lover, get out there and enjoy the brief warm spell. This time of the year they are at a premium!

Will It Ever Snow?...

2011-12-12T07:45:00.001-05:00

Clear skies are again gracing Ohio's morning sunrise and temperatures are running from the middle teens to the upper 20's near Lake Erie. Much milder conditions expected mid week (click the East Central Ohio Forecast Tab for the latest 5 day outlook) and a few flakes of snow may accompany a warm front as it moves through Wednesday. Otherwise there is no real snow or frigid weather in sight. And for me, that's good news.

I thought way back at the end of October when the New England States and the mid Atlantic got clobbered with the "Halloween Snowstorm" that we would have a normal or milder than normal December into early January. This would translate into little or no snow. So far it has turned out that way. (I based my prediction on history with previous early season snow events similar to this one). With the current pattern if it doesn't make a big change, and soon, I don't see any accumulating snows for Christmas, and maybe only a few flakes at the best. So I hope I'm wrong for all the kids who receive new sleds or the big kids with new Ski's, but it doesn't look promising. Have a great start to the week this Monday!

High HIGH Pressure...

2011-12-11T11:05:00.000-05:00

Another sunny morning this Sunday across Ohio. My morning low here at Cambridge dipped to 14 degrees. Heavy frost coated everything. And now, as the Title suggests, a strong High pressure system is located over the region.

As of 11 a.m. the center, as near as I can tell, is located near New Philadelphia. They have a reading of 30.62" of mercury. My location has a reading of 30.58". The high will slide eastward tonight moderating overnight lows and milder temperatures are on tap through Thursday when the next cold front approaches the region. Daytime highs may approach 60 along the Ohio River in the deep south Thursday. Behind the front more seasonable weather will return but nothing "frigid".

Enjoy your picture perfect Sunday!

Coldest Air Yet...

2011-12-10T08:40:00.000-05:00

Many of you are waking up to the coldest air of the season thus far. At 8 a.m. across Ohio the coldest reading I could find was 14 degrees at the Dayton International Airport. Temperatures near Lake Erie were in the upper 20's due to cloudy skies and some light snow. Here at Cambridge 3.8NE my low reading was 18 and at Newcomerstown it dipped to 23. Why a five degree difference? Location, location, location! My station in Newcomerstown is at 792 feet above sea level and in town while here at Cambridge 3.8NE I'm at 1090 feet above sea level and houses are much further apart from each other.

Sunny skies will continue all day with mainly clear skies at night through Tuesday. Afterwards another storm system will impact the area and what lies after that remains to be seen. Enjoy your clear but cool Saturday!

Beautiful Sunrise...

2011-12-09T07:20:00.000-05:00

A pretty sunrise was offered to us in eastern Ohio this morning as high to mid level clouds broke enough to allow the sun the opportunity to illuminate them. Oranges and yellows graced the cloud decks. Looks as if partly cloudy skies will be the rule here today with daytime highs not much higher than the current 27 degrees. Look for a few flurries here and there possibly as the day wears on. Little in the way of wind to cause any substantial wind chills either. Have a good Friday!

Colder Weather Moving In... But Only Temporarily...

2011-12-08T23:02:00.000-05:00

A cold front will move through the Buckeye State on Friday ushering cold, but not bitter air into Ohio over the first half of the weekend. Many places will see light snow or flurries Friday at one point in time or another. The second half of the weekend promises to be nice with a moderating trend. Fair weather will extend into mid week next week. Click the "Ohio Forecast" or the "East Central Ohio forecast" tabs above to see your areas forecast.

Increasing Winds...

2011-12-07T16:36:00.001-05:00

As low pressure begins to move northeast of the region and high pressure tries to build in from the west, the pressure gradient will increase which means the winds will also increase. Look for some gusts as high as 25 mph for the next several hours.