Ohio’s long, wet Wednesday is winding down this evening, November 4, with the rain ending from west to east overnight and a dry, sunnier Thursday ahead, according to the National Weather Service. Early this evening Columbus was reporting rain and fog at 61 degrees, Cleveland and Akron had light rain at 61 degrees with Cleveland gusting near 24 mph, and Dayton had light rain and fog at 63 degrees, while Cincinnati and Toledo were cloudy in the middle 60s. No watches, warnings or advisories were in effect for Ohio this evening.
Western Ohio dries out first tonight. Cincinnati has only a chance of rain before 7 p.m., followed by patchy drizzle into the evening and a low around 50, and Dayton is much the same, with rain likely before 8 p.m., patchy drizzle after that, and a low around 50, the National Weather Service in Wilmington said. Toledo has a chance of rain before 10 p.m. with a low around 52 and southwest winds gusting as high as 28 mph, while Columbus keeps rain likely before midnight, with a low around 52, gusts as high as 28 mph, and another quarter to a half inch of rain possible.
Northeast and southeast Ohio stay wet the longest tonight. Cleveland keeps rain likely before 3 a.m. with a low around 54 and gusts as high as 30 mph, Akron has rain before 3 a.m. with a low around 53, and Youngstown keeps rain before 5 a.m. with the mildest low in the north, around 56, according to the National Weather Service in Cleveland. In the southeast, Athens keeps rain and a slight chance of thunderstorms before 2 a.m., with a low around 57 and another quarter to a half inch of rain possible, the National Weather Service in Charleston said.
For anyone still out tonight, expect wet roads, ponding in the usual low spots, and reduced visibility in fog and heavier showers, especially in central and northeast Ohio where the rain lingers past midnight. Gusty southwest winds will also push on high-profile vehicles on open highways and bridges through the first half of the night before easing toward morning.
Thursday is the payoff: a dry break statewide. The National Weather Service forecasts partly to mostly sunny skies, 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 and mostly cloudy, with lows in the middle 40s, though a chance of rain returns to the Toledo area after 11 p.m. and to northeast Ohio toward Friday morning.
That Friday cold front brings the rain back, mainly in the north. Rain is likely Friday in Cleveland and Akron, with highs cooling to near 56, Youngstown has a chance of rain and a high near 59, Columbus has a chance of rain near 58, and Toledo reaches only near 52 with a chance of rain. Southern Ohio mostly misses it, with only a slight chance of rain in Cincinnati and Dayton and just a slight chance in Athens, where Friday still reaches near 63.
The weekend turns noticeably cooler. Saturday brings highs in the low to middle 50s statewide, partly sunny in central and southern Ohio while rain likely lingers around Cleveland. Saturday night is the coldest of the week, with lows in the middle 30s for most of Ohio and Athens dipping to near 32, so tender outdoor plants in the southeast hills may want cover. Enjoy Thursday’s sunshine while it lasts — it is the one fully dry, mild day in the stretch.
Photo: Noah, CC BY-SA