Midweek rain & storm chances for Columbus area

QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:

• Tonight: Mostly clear, more clouds southwest, low 70
• Wednesday: Partly cloudy early, chance of rain & storms later, high 90
• Thursday: On & off storms later, heavy rain possible, high 92
• Friday: On/Off storms, high 88
• Saturday: Chance of rain and t-showers, high 85

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

Good Tuesday Evening,

It has been another warm and muggy day, with a few isolated showers to our far east. We will see clearing skies this evening with winds becoming light to calm. The one thing we will be watching is a complex of storms diving southeast out of Iowa & Illinois. This line has had some additional non-severe storms to its north, and as it drags southeast, it may bring some clouds, and an isolated shower or storm in the far southwest part of the state tonight.

Low temps again will fall to near 70 to start the day on Wednesday. Wednesday as we get into the heat of the day, we will see some chances for pop-up showers and storms in the area, with the best chances in the southwest quadrant of the state. Chances will continue into the overnight hours. Thursday, the axis for showers and storms will pivot east and line up closer to US-33.

This should provide better chances of rain and storm coverage, with some strong to severe storms possible on Thursday with highs in the lower 90s. The main threats with these storms would be gusty winds, heavy rainfall, and frequent lightning. At this point, we need rain badly, and with a very soupy atmosphere, and the potential for training storms, flooding could be an issue if this all plays out for Thursday.

This axis of rain and storms will still exist across much of our area on Friday, and will keep rain, storms, and excessive humidity in the forecast for Friday. Again, the threat for heavy rains will continue on Friday, with highs likely in the mid to upper 80s.

Saturday, the chances for rain showers, and storms will decrease, as the best coverage will pivot east, we will still have fair enough chances to keep clouds around, and highs back in the middle 80s. Sunday, expect more sunshine, humidity to remain, and a few isolated late day pop-ups mainly off to the east, with highs back in the upper 80s.

Things will start to dry out as a ridge builds in early next week, and will cut down/off rain chances, and bring back seasonal starts, and warm afternoons in the upper 80s to around 90.

-Dave