Issued: 8pm on Sunday, April 19th 2026
Technical Forecast Discussion
Key Messages:
- Colder temperatures led to a Freeze Watch and Warning for Athens County tonight and Monday night as temperatures could dip to near to just-below freezing.
- Rain chances with the possibility of a rumble of thunder could return Wednesday and Saturday as two separate lows move through the region both days.
Short-Term Forecast (Sunday 04/19/2026 through Tuesday 04/21/2026):
A trough will continue to dig into Ohio, advecting cold air down from Canada and keeping our temperatures through Monday quite chilly. These temperatures will dip down far enough for a freeze warning to be issued tonight into tomorrow morning as well as a freeze watch Monday into Tuesday. The cooler overnight temperatures will be exasperated thanks to clearing skies tonight through Tuesday morning. High-pressure will assist in dissipating cloud cover, drying out much of the region for the start of the work week. A ridge will build behind the current trough, allowing for warm air from the south to move in, especially as another follows close behind.
Long-Term Forecast (Wednesday 04/22/2026 through Saturday 04/25/2026):
A weak cluster of lows will sweep the state Wednesday, bringing us another chance for showers and maybe a rumble of thunder by then. Though, it will likely leave just as quickly as it arrived. Yet another low will move through by the end of the week, occluding around Saturday as it sits directly over Ohio. As the aforementioned ridge continues to build into the remainder of the week, plenty of warm air and moisture will fill into the state by the time this low arrives. Saturday will likely see slightly more rain than what we could see on Wednesday, though not significantly. There could be a rumble of thunder then, but the chance is still quite low.
