TOLEDO, Ohio —
Wettest Days
This week will start off dry with bright sunny skies on Monday and most of Tuesday, but rainy weather will quickly return. A very common setup for spring in the Great Lakes will take place starting lake Tuesday night though Friday: a nearly stationary warm front will set up across the southern Great Lakes, near the Toledo area, which separates a very warm airmass to the south and much cloudier and cooler air to the north.
A lake breeze off Lake Erie will likely keep the Toledo Metro locked into the cooler side of this front. Just a few miles south highs may climb as warm as the lower 60s.
The same front which creates the large temperature spread will also create waves of showers and rain. The start of these waves will begin on Wednesday and last through Friday. The highest chance of rain will be on Thursday with heavier downpours possible. Widespread rain totals of 1-2 inches are expected with isolated higher totals possible.
Near record-setting pace this year
As we highlighted last week, this has been one of the wettest starts to a year in Toledo history. Over 10 inches of rain (snowmelt counts, too) have been reported at Toledo Express Airport which make it the second wettest year on record so far.
The historically wet start to 1950 is the only year to start off more wet than 2023. On average, just over 6 inches of rainfall is typically reported by the middle of March. That means this year we are already over 4 inches above average with more on the way later this week.
Impacts to rivers
Despite the heavy rainfall reported already this year, local rivers have largely been able to handle the downpours. Many farm fields, ditches and streams have swollen to the top of their banks earlier this month with the heavy 10-day onslaught of rain, but most managed to stay in minor or just-below flood stages.
Without the impact of heavy snowmelt to combine with the rain, it is unlikely the upcoming downpours will cause any additional severe flooding. The Maumee River watershed is the largest watershed that flows directly into the Great Lakes. While the rivers may be able to handle the upcoming rain it is a good idea to doublecheck your sump pumps to ensure the basement stays dry.
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