Rain is still falling across Ohio on Wednesday afternoon, November 4, and it holds through the evening commute before easing from west to east tonight, according to the National Weather Service. Early this afternoon Columbus was reporting rain and fog at 62 degrees, Cleveland had light rain at 63 degrees with gusts near 29 mph, and Dayton had light rain and fog at about 64 degrees. No watches, warnings or advisories were in effect for Ohio this afternoon.
In central Ohio, Columbus expects rain and a slight chance of thunderstorms this afternoon, with a high near 68, south winds around 16 mph gusting as high as 29 mph, and another quarter to a half inch of rain possible, the National Weather Service in Wilmington said. Southwest Ohio is much the same: Cincinnati and Dayton both reach highs near 69, with rain and a slight chance of thunderstorms in Cincinnati, south winds of 14 to 17 mph, and gusts as high as 26 to 29 mph.
Northern Ohio stays wet and windy through the afternoon. Cleveland reaches a high near 68 before temperatures fall to around 62, with rain, south winds around 18 mph and gusts as high as 31 mph, according to the National Weather Service in Cleveland. Toledo reaches near 65 with similar gusts, Akron reaches near 69 before falling to around 61, and Youngstown, the warmest spot in the state today, reaches near 76 before falling into the upper 60s as rain becomes likely.
In southeast Ohio, Athens expects rain and a slight chance of thunderstorms this afternoon, with a high near 66 and a quarter to a half inch of rain possible, the National Weather Service in Charleston said. For the drive home, expect wet roads statewide, spray and reduced visibility in heavier showers and in areas of fog, and gusty crosswinds on open highways and bridges, especially in northern Ohio where the south winds peak this afternoon.
Tonight, the rain ends first in the west. Cincinnati and Dayton see only a chance of rain early this evening, followed by patchy drizzle and lows around 50. Columbus keeps rain likely before midnight, with a low around 52 and southwest winds still gusting as high as 28 mph early. Toledo has a chance of rain before 10 p.m. with a low around 52, while Cleveland, Akron and Youngstown keep rain into the early morning hours, before 3 a.m. to 5 a.m., with lows in the middle 50s. Athens stays mildest overnight, with rain and a slight chance of thunderstorms before 2 a.m. and a low around 57.
Thursday is the dry break Ohio has been waiting for. The National Weather Service forecasts partly to mostly sunny skies statewide, with highs near 60 in Toledo, 63 in Cleveland, 64 in Akron, 65 in Dayton, 66 in Columbus and Cincinnati, 67 in Youngstown and near 70 in Athens. Thursday night turns cooler, with lows in the middle 40s.
The break is brief in the north. A cold front brings rain likely back to northeast Ohio on Friday, with highs cooling to near 56 in Cleveland and Akron, while central Ohio has a chance of rain and a high near 58, and the south sees only a slight chance. Saturday turns cooler everywhere, partly sunny in central and southern Ohio with highs in the middle 50s, though rain likely lingers in the Cleveland area, and Saturday night lows fall into the middle 30s, with Athens near 32.
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY