Ohio is at its warmest point of the day Tuesday afternoon, with temperatures peaking in the 70s across central and southern Ohio while high clouds gradually build in from the west, according to the National Weather Service. There are no watches, warnings or advisories in effect anywhere in the state — the Weather Service’s Cleveland office map, updated at 2:46 p.m. Tuesday, shows a clean board for Ohio — and the chance of rain stays at zero through the evening commute. Early-afternoon readings included 75 degrees and sunny in Columbus and 73 degrees and sunny in Wilmington, while Cleveland was cooler at 62 degrees and sunny with a north-northeast wind off Lake Erie.
In northwest Ohio, the rest of Tuesday stays partly cloudy and dry, with highs near 70 in Defiance and Findlay, 71 in Lima and 64 in Toledo, where Lake Erie keeps the immediate lakeshore cooler, according to the National Weather Service. North-central Ohio follows the same pattern, topping out near 69 in Mansfield and 65 in Sandusky. Winds stay light, generally east to southeast around 5 to 10 mph away from the lake, so the afternoon and early evening shape up as an easy stretch for travel, early-voting trips and outdoor fall work across the northern counties.
Northeast Ohio spends the rest of the day partly cloudy as well, with highs near 68 in Akron-Canton and 66 in both Cleveland and Youngstown, according to the National Weather Service. In central Ohio, Columbus holds in the low to mid-70s through the afternoon under partly cloudy skies before clouds thicken heading into the evening. The Miami Valley reaches about 70 in Bellefontaine and 72 in Dayton, while east-central communities including New Philadelphia and Zanesville also top out near 70 — comfortable, dry conditions from Lake Erie to the mid-state counties through sunset, which is at 6:35 p.m. in Columbus.
The warmest readings this afternoon are again in the south. The National Weather Service calls for sunny to partly cloudy skies and highs of 72 in Wilmington, 74 in Cincinnati and 74 in Portsmouth in south-central Ohio. In southeast Ohio, highs reach about 72 in Athens, 74 in Jackson and 73 in Marietta. No flooding, fog, wind or frost concerns are in the forecast for the rest of today, and dry roads are expected statewide for anyone heading home or out for the evening.
Tonight, clouds increase and skies turn mostly cloudy in many areas, but the night stays dry statewide, according to the National Weather Service. Overnight lows settle in the upper 40s to low 50s — about 49 to 52 in northwest and central Ohio, 47 to 50 in the northeast, 53 in Dayton and the upper 40s across parts of the southeast. With light winds and no rain expected, nighttime travel should remain trouble-free in all five regions, though a jacket is a good idea once temperatures fall after sunset.
Wednesday brings another partly cloudy and mild day, with highs from 69 in Youngstown to 75 in Cincinnati — 72 in Toledo and Cleveland, 73 in Columbus and 74 in Dayton, according to the National Weather Service. Thursday looks sunnier and is the warmest day of the stretch, with highs in the mid-70s in most places and up to 76 or 77 in Cincinnati, Lima, Portsmouth and Jackson. That keeps the above-normal, dry pattern in place for anyone finishing outdoor work or Halloween preparations midweek.
The pattern holds through Friday, with only a small shower chance in northern Ohio, and Halloween Saturday looks mostly cloudy and dry with highs in the upper 60s to low 70s — good news for trick-or-treat plans, including Thursday-night Beggar’s Night events that should see temperatures in the 60s for most of the evening. The next real chance of rain arrives Sunday, Nov. 1, when the National Weather Service forecasts showers statewide with a 50 to 60 percent chance and highs near 68 to 71, continuing into Monday — the same weekend Ohio turns its clocks back as daylight saving time ends. Until then, Ohioans can enjoy the dry, above-normal warmth while it lasts.