Ohio’s warm Wednesday, Oct. 28, is peaking this afternoon under sunny skies statewide, with temperatures running well above normal for late October, according to the National Weather Service. Mid-afternoon readings included 76 degrees and sunny in Columbus, and the Weather Service forecasts afternoon highs of 79 in Cincinnati — the warmest spot in the state — 78 in Columbus, 77 in Dayton and 76 in Athens. The Weather Service has no watches, warnings or advisories in effect anywhere in Ohio, and high pressure keeps rain chances at zero across the state through this evening.
In northwest Ohio, Toledo stays sunny this afternoon with a high near 74 and a south wind of 5 to 7 mph, according to the National Weather Service. In northeast Ohio, Cleveland is sunny near 75 with a southeast wind of 5 to 8 mph, and Youngstown is sunny near 74 on a light south wind. The Weather Service office in Cleveland said southerly flow behind departing high pressure is bringing the well-above-normal warmth.
Central Ohio spends the rest of today sunny, with Columbus reaching near 78 degrees on a south wind of 5 to 7 mph, according to the National Weather Service. The southwest stays the warmest corner of the state through sunset: Dayton is sunny near 77 on a southeast wind around 6 mph, and Cincinnati is sunny near 79 on a light south wind, with no rain expected in either metro this evening.
Southeast Ohio shares the same bright, dry afternoon, with Athens sunny near 76 on a light and variable wind, according to the National Weather Service. The hill country from Marietta to Portsmouth stays in the mid-70s with precipitation chances at zero, so evening travel and fall outings face no weather problems anywhere in Ohio.
Tonight turns clear in every region, according to the National Weather Service, with overnight lows of 52 degrees in Cleveland, 51 in Cincinnati, 50 in Toledo and 49 in Columbus and Dayton, while Youngstown runs coolest near 45 and Athens near 46. Winds stay light from the south and southeast overnight, rain chances remain at zero statewide, and Thursday morning starts clear and cool before sunshine warms the state quickly again.
Thursday is still the warmest day of the stretch, with sunshine statewide and highs near 79 in Cincinnati, 78 in Columbus, 77 in Toledo and Dayton, 76 in Cleveland and Athens and 75 in Youngstown, according to the National Weather Service. Southwest winds pick up to 10 to 15 mph in the north. Thursday night stays mostly clear for most of Ohio with lows near 49 to 55, though Cleveland picks up a 20 percent chance of rain showers as that front passes to the north.
Friday stays sunny but turns cooler in the north behind the front — near 64 degrees in Cleveland, 66 in Toledo and Youngstown and 72 in Columbus — while southern Ohio holds warmer, near 71 in Dayton, 72 in Athens and 75 in Cincinnati, according to the National Weather Service. Halloween on Saturday stays mostly sunny and dry with highs from 68 in Cleveland to 73 in Columbus and Cincinnati, and forecasters continue to point to rain chances returning Sunday and into early next week as the long dry run finally breaks.