Ohio wakes up to a gray, chilly Sunday, with clouds covering the whole state, rain in the northeast this morning and even a few flurries in the southeast, according to the National Weather Service. Highs run from the middle 40s in the north to about 50 in the south — Mansfield reaches only about 44, Columbus and Cleveland about 47, Dayton about 48, and Cincinnati and Marietta about 50 to 51. No watches, warnings or advisories are in effect for Ohio land areas. The only alert is on the water: a Small Craft Advisory covers Lake Erie’s nearshore waters from the Islands to Conneaut until 10 a.m., with northwest winds of 15 to 25 knots and waves of 4 to 7 feet.
The northeast is the wet corner this morning. Around Cleveland, the National Weather Service expects rain with a 60 percent chance of precipitation and a high near 47, and Akron-Canton has rain with a 50 percent chance and a high near 46. The rain falls mainly this morning, and Youngstown stays mostly cloudy near 47. Drivers on Interstate 90 should expect wet pavement, and boaters should stay off the lake until the advisory expires.
The southeast gets the wintry version of the same system. Athens, Jackson and Marietta all have flurries in the forecast today, with highs of about 50 in Athens and Jackson and 51 in Marietta and rain chances of only 10 to 20 percent. Nothing is expected to stick. East-central Ohio stays drier, with New Philadelphia mostly cloudy near 48 and Zanesville mostly cloudy near 49.
Northwest, central and southwest Ohio stay dry under the clouds. Toledo is partly cloudy near 47, Defiance is mostly cloudy near 47, Findlay reaches about 46 and Lima about 45, all with no rain expected, according to the National Weather Service. Columbus is mostly cloudy near 47, Dayton is mostly cloudy near 48, and Cincinnati does best in the state, partly cloudy near 50. Northwest winds of 5 to 10 mph make it feel a few degrees colder.
Tonight turns partly cloudy and cold, with a freeze for the whole state. Lows fall to about 28 in Defiance, 30 in Lima, Athens and Portsmouth, 31 in Toledo, 32 in Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati and Marietta, and the middle 30s along Lake Erie, about 35 in Akron-Canton and 36 in Cleveland. Anyone with tender plants still outside or hoses still connected should take care of them today.
Monday is the turn. The National Weather Service calls for partly cloudy skies and highs from about 49 in Mansfield and Cleveland to 51 in Columbus, 53 in Dayton and 54 in Portsmouth and Marietta, then a mostly clear night with lows in the upper 20s to middle 30s. Tuesday is sunny in the middle 50s, Wednesday is sunny in the upper 50s, and Thursday turns partly cloudy with highs in the upper 50s to lower 60s.
By next weekend Ohio feels like a different season. Friday brings highs from about 59 in Cleveland to 66 in Portsmouth, and Saturday reaches the middle 60s statewide, with Cincinnati near 68 and Portsmouth near 69, according to the National Weather Service. Get through one more gray, cold Sunday, and a brighter, milder week is waiting.