Northern Ohio considered 'abnormally dry' and closer to drought as dry spell continues
You don't have to look any further than the brown lawns to know northern Ohio is in a drought.
The National Weather Service says the latest U.S. drought map puts northern Ohio in the "abnormally" dry category − one step away from moderate drought.
And it's no wonder.
The last time the region saw rain of any consequence was some two weeks ago on May 20. A dome of high pressure parked over the Great Lakes ever since has been keeping any stormy weather away.
The weekend will start warm with temperatures near 90 and slowly cool down.
Temperatures will be in the 80s on Sunday and slowly drop to the more seasonal 70s by Tuesday.
When will it rain in Greater Akron?
The forecast from the National Weather Service is devoid of rain chances of any significance through the next week.
And the prospect for any significant change to the dry weather doesn't seem very likely − aside from a possible stray shower on Sunday.
The Climate Prediction Center is calling for a drier-than-average month for June.
June is usually one of the wetter months in Greater Akron, with about 4½ inches of rain typically falling.
Air quality alert remains in effect
An air quality alert remains in place for much of northern Ohio through Friday night and the National Weather Service says it might have to be extended.
The Northeast Ohio Area Coordinating Agency, in coordination with the Ohio EPA, Cleveland and Akron air quality management districts, among other partners, are responsible for issuing the alerts.
The affected counties in the new alert include: Lorain, Cuyahoga, Lake and Ashtabula counties along the Lake Erie shore, as well as inland Medina, Summit, Geauga and Portage counties.
Heatwaves create ground-level ozone making it unhealthy for some including children, the elderly and those with breathing conditions.
The weather service advises people to check air quality levels at airnow.gov and to sign up for text alerts at enviroflash.info.
What's the pollen count in Akron?
The dry conditions and lack of rain means more pollen in the air.
Tree pollen in the air for Greater Akron is considered to be high.
And grass pollen is moderate − rising to high by the end of the week.
There is no risk for elevated ragweed pollen in the region.
Things should improve slightly − albeit temporarily − on Sunday, when a low pressure system moves through.
What's the forecast in Akron?
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 92. Northeast wind 5 to 14 mph.
Friday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64. North wind 5 to 9 mph becoming light after midnight.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 89. Northeast wind 5 to 14 mph.
Saturday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58. Northeast wind 9 to 14 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 83. Northeast wind 8 to 10 mph.
Sunday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 54.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 55.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 74.
Tuesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 50.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.
Wednesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Northern Ohio considered 'abnormally dry' and closer to drought
