CLE
.LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
The impacts from the low pressure increase dramatically over
Christmas weekend, with accumulating snow, strong winds, and bitter
cold all on the table.
Confidence in the timing/track of the upper-level closed low and
associated surface low begins to improve on this surface low as we
begin to see more and more run-to-run consistency. There is decent
agreement on the general track as the upper-level closed low moves
east across the eastern Great Lakes on Friday and back north to just
south of the Georgian Bay by Christmas Eve. The surface low is
expected to make a similar trajectory as the upper-level low, though
may briefly retrograde into central-lower Michigan on Friday before
moving north. Continued intensification of the low is expected on
Friday with general model consensus having the surface low bottoming
out around 970 mb by 00Z/Sat. An intense cold front will move across
the area Friday morning, causing a rapid temperature drop, very
strong winds, and a transition of rain to snow. Because numerous
hazards are expected with this system, each of these hazards will be
discussed in greater detail separately below: