WEDNESDAY WEATHER BRIEFING

(Click images to enlarge)Good morning! The weather map across the eastern 2/3 of the country is dominated by a strong area of low pressure in the Upper Midwest, with a cold front trailing south of it:That is the cold front that will arrive here tomorrow. As for TODAY, it's going to be pretty stifling. Highs around 87 degrees with dewpoints in the upper 60s means the Heat Index will be 90 or so this afternoon:There is not much of a "trigger" for thunderstorms in eastern Ohio and western PA today so activity will be pretty sparse this afternoon. Only a 20-30% chance that your backyard sees raindrops.Severe weather is very unlikely here but there can be some strong to severe storms to our west and northwest:THURSDAY: The cold front will come through at an unfavorable time of day for strong storms but there can certainly be some tropical downpours in spots. Highest risk for rain will be from mid-morning through early afternoon.Dewpoints will stay elevated until late afternoon, when they will start dropping.....leading to a pleasant evening and much more comfortable weather overnight.FRIDAY/WEEKEND: Just about perfect of you have outdoor plans. Sunshine, some fair-weather clouds and a distinct lack of humidity. The nights will be comfortable as well. Enjoy!LONG RANGE: A cool front is likely to arrive Monday but will not produce much rain. Behind that front, another cooler air mass will be here for a couple of days. Then, the pattern will favor above-average temperatures for the rest of the month and probably into Labor Day weekend.