All good things must come to an end.
And this record-breaking string of warm days will come to an abrupt and stormy end Friday night.
It was another record-setting day in Akron on Thursday when the mercury rose to 68 degrees around 4 p.m., breaking the previous record of 63 degrees set in 1906.
If things shake out as expected on Friday with a high predicted of 73, it would set another new record high, shattering the previous record of 68 for the day set back in 1961.
A cold front is expected to storm across Northeast Ohio on Friday night, bringing with it a threat of severe thunderstorms, the possibility of tornados and high winds.
The National Weather Service says the greatest threat for the Akron-area will be the expected strong winds that could be as high as 70 mph as the storms race across the region at some 50 mph.
The National Storm Prediction Center has put the Akron area at a slight risk for severe thunderstorms.
Things will chill off on Saturday with showers expected and a high in the 40s.
It will be more seasonable outside on Sunday with highs in the 30s and a chance of snow showers.
Temperatures are expected to rise back into the 50s by Tuesday.
As things stand, the Akron area is on pace to have the warmest February ever since weather records were first kept in 1887.
And Friday could be the warmest day at 73 degrees ever recorded during the month of February eclipsing the previous mark of 72 degrees on Feb. 26, 2000.
“We are forecasting record highs [Friday] at all locations and a few sites may even try to break the all-time record high for the winter season,” the weather service said.
The other record set at the Akron-Canton Airport came Saturday afternoon when it hit 68 degrees — breaking the old mark of 60 degrees in 1981.
Craig Webb can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3547.
