Statewide setup
– A broad storm system is sweeping rain across Ohio, with showers lingering longest in eastern counties before drier air noses in from the west late in the day.
– Combined rainfall from this system is projected to reach roughly a quarter to three-quarters of an inch in many locations, enough to keep roads wet and visibility reduced at times.
– Behind the rain, a surge of colder northwest air will drop temperatures toward the 30s by Sunday, a sharp turn from the unseasonably mild conditions that pushed readings into the 50s and even low 60s in spots.
Central Ohio
– In Central Ohio, including the Columbus metro, steadier rain is expected through the morning and midday before tapering to lighter showers or drizzle later in the afternoon as the system slides east.
– Temperatures should hold in the upper 40s to low 50s for much of the day, but residents are being warned to expect a noticeably colder feel by late evening as northwest winds increase and colder air filters in.
– Roads will remain mainly wet rather than icy today, but the late-day cooldown sets the stage for a much colder start to the weekend, with the risk of slick spots increasing late tonight and Saturday as readings fall.
Northwest Ohio
– Northwest Ohio will be among the first regions to see rain ease, with showers breaking up from west to east and some late-day clearing possible as drier air arrives sooner than in the rest of the state.
– Daytime highs should still reach the upper 40s to near 50 before temperatures slide quickly once the cold front passes, accompanied by stronger northwest winds that will make it feel closer to the 30s by tonight.
– With the center of the colder air spilling in from this direction, this region will be one of the first to notice the weekend chill, although lake-effect precipitation is expected to remain focused farther east.
Northeast Ohio
– Northeast Ohio will stay locked in the wettest pattern the longest, with rain likely holding into the late afternoon and early evening before gradually giving way to colder, drier air.
– Temperatures in this region will still manage a mild start in the upper 40s or low 50s, but once the front moves through, readings tumble and strong northwest flow may squeeze out limited lake-effect showers or flurries near the lakeshore into the weekend.
– Forecasters say the more organized lake-effect bands look confined to far northeastern counties, but any lingering moisture over the lake could briefly reduce visibility on higher ground and near the shoreline as colder air deepens.
Southwest Ohio
– Southwest Ohio, including the Dayton and Cincinnati areas, will feel warmest early, with temperatures that surged into the 50s and even lower 60s in recent days sliding back toward more seasonable levels after today’s round of rain.
– Rain should be widespread through the morning, then become spottier by afternoon, allowing clouds to thin at times before colder air sweeps in from the northwest later tonight.
– By the end of the weekend, this region is projected to see highs closer to the 30s than the 50s, capping a dramatic two-day swing that local meteorologists describe as a “spring-to-winter” transition.
Southeast Ohio
– Southeast Ohio is likely to remain damp much of the day, with steady rain and overcast skies holding on later here than in most other regions as the main disturbance exits slowly to the east.
– Temperatures should still reach the upper 40s or low 50s, but as the second wave of energy and a cold front focus farther south on Saturday, many communities in this corridor could pick up additional light rain, keeping conditions soggy into early weekend plans.
– Once the front pushes through, this area will also turn sharply colder, with the mild, wet pattern giving way to a more typical January chill by Sunday, reinforcing the sense that winter is not yet ready to let go.