Cincinnati weather: Enjoy sunny skies, warm temps before rain returns Thursday night

It's going to be a dry day in Greater Cincinnati before showers and thunderstorms return to the region Thursday night.

According to the National Weather Service office in Wilmington, weak high pressure will move east across the middle Ohio Valley, resulting in dry weather. Some high clouds may spill into the area from the west.

It will be warm, with highs ranging from the lower 70s north to the lower 80s south.

Showers and embedded thunderstorms are expected Thursday night, per a hazardous weather outlook. An isolated strong to severe storm could develop in the evening into the early morning hours on Friday. Strong to damaging winds will be the primary severe weather threat.

Precipitation will taper off on Friday. Mostly cloudy skies will gradually become partly cloudy in the afternoon. Cooler temperatures are forecast, with highs ranging from the upper 50s northwest to near 70 southeast.

High pressure will then build back into the region for the weekend, bringing below-normal temperatures. Patchy areas of frost will be possible on Saturday and Sunday nights.

What is the Ohio River level in Cincinnati?

A flood advisory is no longer in effect for the Ohio River at Cincinnati and the Ohio River at Maysville.

According to the weather service's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service, the Ohio River at Cincinnati was at 49.02 feet as of 5 a.m. Thursday, which is considered the action stage.

The river rose to a crest of 51.3 feet on Tuesday morning and is expected to drop to 35.3 feet by 8 a.m. Monday. The flood stage for the Ohio River at Cincinnati is 52 feet.

Detailed Cincinnati forecast

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon.

There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 a.m. The low will be around 55. The southeast wind will be 7 to 9 mph. The chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts will be between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, except higher amounts are possible in thunderstorms.

Friday: A chance of showers, mainly before 10 a.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 66. Northwest wind around 11 mph. The chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Partly cloudy at night, with a low of around 46. Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. Northwest wind 5 to 14 mph.

Partly cloudy at night, with a low of around 38.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 60.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 65.

Tuesday: There is a chance of showers. It will be partly sunny, with a high near 69. The chance of precipitation is 50%.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67.

Source: National Weather Service, Wilmington.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Weather: Sunny skies, warm temps before rain returns Thursday night