288
FXUS61 KCLE 060806
AFDCLE

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Cleveland OH
406 AM EDT Mon Apr 6 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Accumulating snowfall in Northeast Ohio and Northwest
Pennsylvania is likely late tonight into Tuesday morning, with a
few inches possible across higher elevations of Erie County in
Pennsylvania.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Below normal temperatures through Tuesday, with periodic
precipitation chances today through Tuesday morning. Transition
to snow expected tonight, with potential for accumulating snow
in the higher elevations of the primary snow belt.

2) Dry conditions and warming temperatures midweek, with
precipitation chances returning late week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...
Main weather feature of concern early in the forecast period is
embedded shortwaves/attendant surface low rotating east
southeast through the Great Lakes in broad mid/upper troughing
over the region. First shortwave will cross the lower Great
Lakes this morning, ushering in shower activity from west to
east across the area, as currently noted upstream on radar near
southern Lake Michigan. These showers could contain some frozen
hydrometeors (graupel, etc.) as freezing levels remain near
2.5kft.

A stronger wave and surface reflection will move southeast
through the Great Lakes this afternoon and evening, which will
shunt a majority of the shower activity and synoptic moisture
off to the east this evening into tonight, as a cold front
pushes south across the area. Thermal profiles will support a
transition to snow this evening and tonight, with some lake
enhancement/effect and upslope across the higher terrain of the
snow belt possible, especially late tonight into early Tuesday
morning. Most areas will see under an inch if any accumulation,
but some of the higher terrain, especially in far eastern Erie
County, could see a couple of inches of accumulation, mainly on
grassy and elevated surfaces. Snow will quickly end Tuesday
morning as ridging builds east across the lake.

KEY MESSAGE 2...
A quieter pattern influenced by strong high pressure building
across the region Tuesday night through Thursday will help usher
in a quick moderation of temperatures back to above normal
Wednesday and Thursday. A cold front will sink south towards the
region late Thursday and Friday which brings our next chance for
showers and some storms across the area.

&&

.AVIATION /06Z Monday THROUGH Friday/...
Ceilings have cleared out for terminals west of KCLE and for the
ones east, to include KCLE, continue to see ceilings between
035-050. Showers will move in from the northwest early this
morning bringing conditions to MVFR by 08Z for the western
terminals and 12Z for the eastern terminals. For KYNG and KERI,
there will likely be a rain/snow mix with the showers this
morning and could bring down ceilings/visibilities further.
There will be a break in the precipitation for a few hours, but
non-VFR ceilings are expected to continue across all terminals.
Precipitation will return for sites east of KTOL and KFDY
between 15-18Z, though will be scattered. Opted to continue the
VCSH wording for the remaining terminals. KERI will see more
consistent snow showers this evening dropping down conditions to
MVFR. Outside of KERI, VCSH should begin to taper off by 01-03Z.

Winds across the region currently are out of the west to
southwest around 5-10 knots. By mid day, winds will all be out
of the west and increase to 10-15 knots with gusts around 20-25
knots. They will continue to stay elevated and shift out of the
north-northwest by the end of the TAF period as a cold front
moves through.

Outlook...Non-VFR likely Monday night into Tuesday morning in
rain and/or snow showers, particularly across the snowbelt.
Non-VFR may return in scattered rain showers Thursday night into
Friday.

&&

.MARINE...
There will be brief, quiet conditions across Lake Erie today
with winds out of the west at 5-15 knots and waves less than 3
feet. Rough conditions return this evening as low pressure moves
off to the east of the region and winds shift to be out of the
north and increase to 15-25 knots. Waves will build as a
response to 3-6 feet across the central and eastern basins. A
Small Craft Advisory has been issued from 10PM tonight through
10AM Tuesday for those areas. Quieter conditions return on
Tuesday afternoon with winds less than 10 knots out of the north
then shifting to the southeast. By Thursday, winds will increase
out of the south to 15-25 knots, though with the offshore flow,
the open waters will see the roughest conditions and a Small
Craft Advisory for the near shore remains a low probability.

&&

.CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OH...None.
PA...None.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 10 AM EDT
     Tuesday for LEZ144>149.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...03
AVIATION...23
MARINE...23