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PATTERN FLIP: Much-needed rain arrives on Thursday, big temp drop this weekend

Much needed rain arrives today, find out rainfall timing and totals plus how much colder temperatures will be soon!

By: Katie McGraw

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It has been a hot start to October — temperatures running 15 degrees above average with highs in the 80s for the last several days. Additionally, after a super-soaker summer, September was very dry, and we are actually in need of rain again! Big changes arrive Thursday. Let's break down timing, totals, and impacts below.

Due to the fact the last few weeks have been so dry, early stages of drought have returned to Ohio. In case you missed it, September was the driest month of 2023 so far,and it was also one of the driest September's ever across Northeast Ohio.

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Even with the rain expected tonight, News 5 Chief Meteorologist Mark Johnson says this month will likely be one of the top 10 driest Septembers on record.
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Below is the U.S. Drought Monitors, and it shows "abnormally dry" conditions for much of our area and even moderate drought over portions of Ashtabula County. The only communities excluded from the abnormally dry conditions are a few of our NW communities. "D0," or abnormally dry, means the area in yellow is experiencing short-term dryness, slowing planting and growth of crops and pastures.

The U.S. Drought Monitor is a map released every Thursday morning (with data from Tuesday to Tuesday). It tracks drought across the U.S. Using five classifications: Abnormally dry (D0), which shows areas that may be going into or are coming out of drought, and four levels of drought: Moderate (D1), severe (D2), extreme (D3) and exceptional (D4). The good news is that much-needed rain is returning on Thursday, and on and off rain will continue to impact the area for the next several days. So this drought will hopefully be short-lived.

Rain will move from west to east Thursday afternoon/evening, meaning the more west you live, the earlier you will see rain. If you live west of Cleveland, plan for the rain to arrive between 2-4 p.m. Rain will continue to slide east by the late afternoon/early evening (5-7 p.m.), and rain looks to become widespread after the sun sets. Severe weather is not expected, but periods of heavy rain, gusty winds, and even rumbles of thunder will be possible. The heaviest rain will be late tonight and early tomorrow. Scroll through the images of Futurecast to get an idea about timing and coverage.

It looks like much of the area will pick up a beneficial 0.5 - 1.00 inch of rain over the next 24 hours. Locally higher amounts will be possible, especially in any thunderstorms.

It is not just the rain, though! Two cold fronts will swiftly roll through and bring the return of the previously mentioned rain, but also bring a significant airmass or temperature change. Highs will be in the 70s today (slightly cooler than the last few days thanks to more clouds in the sky), but by this evening, temps will fall into the mid-60s. Overnight, it will remain relatively mild, with temperatures in the 60s. However, the numbers hardly move on Friday, with highs dropping about 10-15 degrees from Thursday to Friday. It drops even more over the weekend too! Plan for 50s on Saturday and Sunday. The winds will be increasing on Saturday as well, making it blustery and will feel even cooler! Plus, lingering rain and lake effect showers will linger throughout the weekend as well.