COLUMBUS — September has been a soggy month across much of Ohio. Columbus has received nearly triple its usual September rainfall so far, according to the National Weather Service — but a dry, cool fall weekend is on the way.
Friday brings patchy fog before 8 a.m., then sunny skies with a high near 71 degrees. Friday night will be partly cloudy with lows around 48. Saturday looks sunny with a high near 75, and Sunday should be sunny with a high near 73. The dry stretch continues through early next week, with highs in the low 70s and lows dipping into the upper 40s at night.
Rain is not forecast to return to central Ohio until around Sept. 30, when a chance of showers appears in the forecast. Agricultural forecasters say a strong low pressure system moving out of the Great Plains around midweek could bring rain and thunderstorms to all of Ohio, with combined totals of a half inch to two inches possible.
The dry weekend is welcome news for the many weekend events across the state, including the big Ohio State-Illinois football game Saturday at Ohio Stadium. Fans heading to Columbus can expect sunshine and highs in the mid 70s.
Longer-range outlooks suggest the dry pattern will hold through the first few days of October before another front sweeps through from the west around the 7th, potentially bringing another round of showers. For now, Ohioans can enjoy a crisp, classic fall weekend with plenty of sunshine and cool mornings.