“Winter’s eagle talons swoop, Scratching sweet faces raw,
As battering waves file back, The coast’s jagged teeth further.
Concerts of hedgerow angels, Storm the dreaded demon field.
Dispensing ancient retribution, Righting wrongs along the way.
Gladiatorial combat in the Heavens, Lightning’s fiery net crashes against.
Thunder’s convulsing cloaking shield, And the rainstorm’s flogging garlands.”
― Stewart Stafford, “Opposites Attack”
MANSFIELD — Ohio thunderstorms in January? Sure, why not.
Irish author Stewart Stafford saw today’s north central Ohio’s weather coming way before the National Weather Service office in Cleveland.
Instead of arctic winds, biting cold and blinding snow as is per usual around here this time of year, we have the opposites attacking as Stafford so well described.
Sunny skies. Breezy. Temperatures in the mid 50s.
And a strong chance of thunderstorms.
The National Weather Service office in Cleveland has issued a severe thunderstorm watch until Thursday at 7 p.m. for a wide swath of the region, including Richland, Ashland, Knox and Crawford counties.
These watches are issued by the NWS when conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
A severe thunderstorm by definition is a thunderstorm that produces one inch hail or larger in diameter and/or winds equal or exceed 58 miles an hour. The size of the watch can vary depending on the weather situation. They are usually issued for a duration of 4 to 8 hours.
They are normally issued well in advance of the actual occurrence of severe weather. During the watch, people should review severe thunderstorm safety rules and be prepared to move a place of safety if threatening weather approaches.
The biggest chance of storms and rain is between 5 and 7 p.m., though the chance of precipitation is just 30 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch could be seen, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tonight, expect rain showers before 4 a.m., then a slight chance of rain and snow showers as winter chills return. And yes, some thunder is also possible even as the low dips to around 33.
The weekend brings highs in the 30s and lows in the 20s with a 50 percent chance of snow on Sunday.
Sun. Warmth. Thunderstorms. Cold. Snow. Wind.
Welcome to north central Ohio weather. If you don’t like it, wait five minutes.
It will change.
