FXUS61 KCLE 190614 AFDCLE Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Cleveland OH 214 AM EDT Tue May 19 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... The Slight Risk for Tuesday has been expanded to include nearly the entire forecast area. Otherwise, no significant changes were made with this forecast package. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1) The hottest temperatures of the year thus far will continue through Tuesday. The heat will break behind a cold front on Wednesday with below normal temperatures continuing into Thursday. 2) A few strong to severe thunderstorms are possible in Northwest Ohio and possibly close to the lakeshore this afternoon into early this evening. Another round of strong to severe storms is possible on Tuesday afternoon and evening. 3) Unsettled weather with periods of rain expected and thunderstorms possible over the holiday weekend. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1... Deep warm air advection will remain in place across the area over the next couple of days, resulting in above normal to near record temperatures across the area through Tuesday. Temperatures will remain in the 80s to around 90 degrees through the remainder of this afternoon with temps into the upper 60s and lower 70s tonight. Temperatures will decrease a bit faster in locations that receive rain (most likely NW OH) this afternoon. Temperatures will once again rise into the 80s and possibly touch 90 degrees Tuesday afternoon, although confidence in temps reaching the upper 80s and lower 90s (and possibly touching record values) is slightly lower than today due to low- end chances of morning showers, afternoon convection, and increased cloud cover. Dew points will likely be a bit higher on Tuesday afternoon so it will definitely feel muggy. Those spending time outside this afternoon and during the day Tuesday should wear light/loose-fitting clothing and hydrate and sensitive groups should consider limiting time outdoors during peak heating. Temperatures will cool down for mid to late week with highs in the 60s expected Wednesday and Thursday. KEY MESSAGE 2... As of 230 PM EDT, a line of severe thunderstorms was moving east across Indiana. There is a very tight instability gradient that ends just within the western fringe of the local area so anticipate storms to quickly weaken as they encounter less instability later this afternoon and early this evening. Nonetheless, isolated to scattered strong to severe storms are possible, especially in the Slight Risk (level 2 of 5) area that's in place across the Toledo area as the storms move in over the next couple of hours. Isolated stronger storms are possible in the northern portion of the area where there is a Marginal Risk (level 1 of 5) of severe weather. Damaging wind gusts will be the main threat, however large hail is possible and a quick spin-up can't be ruled out in the Slight Risk area. Once convection weakens this evening, scattered showers may persist across NW OH through the overnight hours with low-end PoPs expanding east across the local area Tuesday morning. The moist, unstable air mass will remain in place over the area on Tuesday, especially if the forecast trends drier and sunnier than currently forecast. MLCAPE values will likely exceed 2000 J/kg by peak heating Tuesday with effective bulk shear values likely increasing to 30+ knots as a cold front advances east towards the area Tuesday afternoon. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are likely Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday evening, although there's some uncertainty in the placement of convective initiation and exact timing of thunderstorms. Thunderstorm development will likely rely on early day cloud cover and any showers that develop Tuesday morning. Given the instability and shear profile, storms may be strong to severe and there is a Slight Risk (level 2 of 5) of severe weather across nearly the entire area. Damaging wind gusts will be the primary concern, but some storms may produce large hail. A few tornadoes cannot be ruled out. KEY MESSAGE 3... A period of dry weather is expected Wednesday through Thursday before precipitation chances increase Friday through the holiday weekend as weak low pressure and a frontal boundary slowly drift north across the Ohio Valley. There's still quite a bit of uncertainty in the timing and coverage of showers (and possibly a few thunderstorms) over Memorial Day Weekend, but at the moment it looks like the best chances of precipitation will occur Friday night and Sunday into Monday. Confidence in the likelihood of hazardous weather is low this far out, but will continue to monitor trends in guidance and adjust the forecast/key messages as necessary. && .AVIATION /06Z Tuesday THROUGH Saturday/... VFR conditions early this morning. The main focus of the TAFs remains shower/thunderstorm potential. A few showers are possible between about 11-18z from west to east. Activity should be fairly sparse and restrictions would be brief and limited, so at the moment only included VCSH. Attention then turns to thunderstorms that are likely to develop late this afternoon and spread east across the area through this evening ahead of a cold front. There is some amount of uncertainty with the timing and placement of these storms if earlier activity ends up more robust than expected. The current TAFs assume that earlier activity won't be too detrimental to the main thunderstorm threat this evening, and has TS included at all sites with TEMPOs for more significant restrictions and wind gusts with thunderstorms. Showers likely linger into tonight as the cold front pushes into the area, though convective potential should decrease by late this evening. MVFR ceilings are likely behind the cold front, which begins getting into the TAFs at TOL/CLE. South-southwest winds of 6-12kt will continue through early this morning. Have low-level wind shear in at several locations given a 40-45kt southwesterly low-level jet and poor low-level mixing. Winds increase to 10-20kt with gusts 25-30kt later this morning and this afternoon as low-level wind shear ends. Some thunderstorms late today into tonight may be severe with isolated peak gusts over 50kt possible with any severe storms. Outlook...Non-VFR continues into Wednesday in lower ceilings and possibly rain showers. Non-VFR possible in showers Friday into Saturday. && .MARINE... South-southwest winds continue until a cold front crosses the lake overnight tonight. Winds will generally be in the 10-20kt range, with gusts in the nearshore waters of 25-30kt likely this afternoon. Will go with a Small Craft Advisory from Cuyahoga County points west where winds will be gustiest...not quite as gusty farther east, though still on the breezy side. Waves of 1-3 feet in the nearshore will increase to 2-4 feet in the open waters today. Thunderstorms ahead of the cold front late this afternoon and evening may produce strong wind gusts over 35kt and locally up to 50kt over the lake. Winds whip around to the north-northeast late tonight into Wednesday at 10-17kt behind the cold front, keeping 1-3 foot waves going. Winds increase to 15-20kt and gradually turn more northeasterly into Thursday and easterly into Friday as strong high pressure passes north and northeast of the lake. East-northeast winds often perform well in these types of setups and have continued to inch up in the forecast, and a period of small craft/beach hazards headlines is looking increasingly likely for at least some of the nearshore waters late this week. && .CLIMATE... High temperatures today and Tuesday will approach record values. The following are the records for May 18 and 19 at local climate sites. Date Toledo Mansfield Cleveland Akron Youngstown Erie 05-18 95(1962) 92(1962) 91(1962) 92(1962) 92(1962) 89(1889) 05-19 92(1996) 88(1964) 88(1998) 91(1911) 89(1934) 90(1996) && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...None. PA...None. MARINE...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...15 AVIATION...Sullivan MARINE...Sullivan