Ohio is holding onto a mild, mostly dry Veterans Day at midday Wednesday, but the National Weather Service says the dry window closes this evening as showers spread in statewide. Skies late this morning were mostly cloudy across northern Ohio and partly cloudy to partly sunny farther south, with light south winds and no watches, warnings or advisories in effect anywhere in the state. Temperatures were climbing through the 50s, on their way to afternoon highs that will feel more like early fall than mid-November — especially in southern Ohio, where readings will top out well into the 60s.
In the Northwest and Northeast, the rest of today stays mostly cloudy and dry. Toledo is headed for a high in the mid 50s, Findlay and Lima for the upper 50s to near 61, and Cleveland, Akron-Canton and Youngstown for the upper 50s, according to the National Weather Service offices in Cleveland and Wilmington. Winds stay light and variable, turning east around 5 mph this afternoon along Lake Erie, so outdoor Veterans Day observances through the afternoon should stay dry — the rain in the north does not arrive until this evening.
Central, Southwest and Southeast Ohio get the warmest part of the day. Columbus is forecast partly sunny with a high near 62, Dayton partly cloudy near 63, and Cincinnati partly cloudy near 65, the National Weather Service in Wilmington said. Portsmouth and the southern counties are the warmest of all, with highs near 66 under sunny to partly cloudy skies, while Athens and Jackson in the Southeast reach the mid 60s. It is a good afternoon to finish outdoor work, because conditions turn wetter and cooler for everyone tonight.
Tonight, showers move in after about 7 p.m. and become likely to certain statewide. The chance of rain is near 100 percent in Toledo, Bowling Green and much of northern Ohio, 90 percent around Columbus, and 80 to 90 percent across the south, the National Weather Service said. Lows will fall into the lower 40s in the north and the low to mid 40s in central and southern Ohio. New rainfall amounts are expected between a tenth and a quarter of an inch around Columbus, and between a quarter and a half inch near Cleveland. Winds shift to the north at 5 to 15 mph with gusts up to 20 to 25 mph behind the front, so roads will be wet for late-evening travel.
Thursday brings a sharp step down in temperature. Highs will only reach the mid 40s in northern Ohio and the upper 40s to near 50 in the south, with mostly cloudy skies and showers likely again in the north and a chance of showers elsewhere, the National Weather Service said. North winds of 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph will make it feel colder still. Anyone heading out Thursday should plan for damp, blustery conditions through the day, with lows Thursday night dropping into the lower 30s in the north and around freezing in central Ohio.
The colder air lingers into Friday and the weekend. Friday highs are forecast in the lower 40s statewide — around 38 to 43 in north-central and northeastern Ohio — with a chance of rain showers mixing with snow showers in the Mansfield, Sandusky, Cleveland and Akron areas, though the National Weather Service expects little or no snow accumulation. Saturday then turns sunny to partly cloudy with highs in the mid 40s, Sunday stays partly cloudy in the mid to upper 40s, and the early part of next week holds in the upper 40s to near 50 with overnight lows around 28 to 30 degrees — cold enough for a hard frost where skies clear.
For the rest of today, the travel picture is simple: enjoy the dry, mild afternoon, and keep an umbrella handy for tonight. Wet pavement is the main hazard this evening and early Thursday, not severe weather — no watches are in effect and no flooding, fog or lake-effect snow is expected with this system. The bigger change is the temperature drop, so coats that were optional at midday Wednesday will be needed Thursday and Friday across the Buckeye State.