Cleveland, OH – Gardeners across Northeast Ohio must act within the hour to protect sensitive spring vegetation as a Freeze Warning remains in effect until 10 a.m. Tuesday. While the morning sun will eventually push afternoon highs to a pleasant 70 degrees, current temperatures in the middle 20s to lower 30s are cold enough to kill crops and damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. The sharp chill is the primary concern for the next several hours, though a much wetter and warmer pattern is quickly moving toward the Lake Erie shoreline.
According to the National Weather Service in Cleveland, the warning covers a massive swathe of north central and northwest Ohio, along with northwest Pennsylvania. While today stays mostly sunny, conditions deteriorate overnight as a 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms develops after 2 a.m. Wednesday. This moisture could create slick conditions on I-90 and the Shoreway just in time for the Wednesday morning drive, with rainfall amounts reaching up to a quarter of an inch in heavier bursts.
The midweek rain acts as a brief transition before another temperature jump later in the week. Thursday offers a return to sunny skies with a high of 73 degrees, followed by a surge toward 75 degrees on Friday. These warmer afternoons will be accompanied by blustery conditions today, with southerly gusts hitting 29 mph, helping to clear out the morning frost but increasing the challenge for high-profile vehicles on open bridges.
Conditions are expected to turn wetter again by Friday night, with a 70 percent chance of showers likely to impact weekend plans. For now, the priority remains the immediate protection of local landscaping through the 10 a.m. expiration and prepping for a potentially stormy Wednesday morning transit.
Five Day Forecast for Cleveland, OH
- Tuesday: Sunny and Breezy, High 70
- Wednesday: Showers and Thunderstorms Likely, High 66
- Thursday: Sunny, High 73
- Friday: Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers, High 75
- Saturday: Chance of Showers, High 64
