Rain will cover Ohio overnight, ending the mild Veterans Day for good and setting up a colder, blustery Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. No watches, warnings or advisories were in effect for Ohio late Wednesday evening, but rain was likely to certain in every region overnight — near 100 percent around Cleveland, 90 percent around Marion and Cincinnati, and 80 percent in Columbus and Dayton — with new amounts generally between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, and a quarter to a half inch possible around Cleveland. Lows settle in the lower 40s in the northwest and the mid-40s farther south.
In northwest Ohio, Toledo expects rain likely tonight with a low around 42 degrees and north winds around 8 mph, the National Weather Service in Cleveland said. Marion also drops to about 42 degrees, with rain at a 90 percent chance and north winds of 6 to 15 mph. In northeast Ohio, Cleveland stays warmer overnight at about 46 degrees but takes the heaviest rain, while Youngstown falls to about 44 degrees with rain at an 80 percent chance and a tenth to a quarter of an inch possible.
Central Ohio turns wet later in the evening. Columbus expects rain showers after 10 p.m. with a low around 46 degrees, an 80 percent chance of rain and east winds gusting as high as 24 mph before the front passes, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington. Southwest Ohio has the night’s only thunder risk: Cincinnati expects rain showers before 10 p.m., then showers and thunderstorms, with a low around 45 degrees and a 90 percent chance of rain. Dayton expects rain showers with a low around 44 degrees, an 80 percent chance, and north winds gusting as high as 28 mph.
Southeast Ohio is the last to turn wet. Athens and the surrounding hill country expect rain likely after 11 p.m. with a low around 45 degrees and a 60 percent chance of rain, with less than a tenth of an inch expected overnight, the National Weather Service in Charleston said. Anyone traveling late tonight should expect wet pavement in every region, reduced visibility in the heavier showers, and ponding in the usual low spots — slow down and leave extra following distance.
Thursday is the colder day behind the front, and the north stays the wettest. Rain is likely to certain in Toledo, Cleveland, Marion and Youngstown, with highs only in the mid to upper 40s and north winds of 10 to 17 mph gusting as high as 26 to 31 mph, the National Weather Service said. Central and southern Ohio see a chance of showers instead, with highs near 51 degrees in Columbus, 52 in Dayton and Athens, and 53 in Cincinnati under mostly cloudy skies and northwest gusts up to 24 to 28 mph.
Thursday night turns colder still, with lows in the lower to mid-30s in most of the state — about 32 degrees in Marion, 33 in Toledo, 35 in Dayton and 37 in Columbus — while rain continues along Lake Erie around Cleveland. Showers linger into Friday, when highs hold in the low to mid-40s and rain can mix with snow in parts of northern, central and eastern Ohio, including around Dayton, Youngstown and Athens, with little or no snow accumulation expected. Friday night lows then fall into the upper 20s and lower 30s for most areas away from the lakeshore.
The weekend trends drier for most of Ohio. The National Weather Service expects mostly sunny skies Saturday with highs in the mid-40s in the north and upper 40s in the south, and mostly sunny to sunny conditions Sunday with highs in the upper 40s to about 50 degrees, though northeast Ohio along Lake Erie keeps a chance of rain and mixed showers into the weekend. For tonight and Thursday: keep the rain gear out, secure loose outdoor items against the gusts, allow extra time on wet roads, and plan on coats — the mild air of Veterans Day is gone until at least early next week.
Photo: Mourner, CC BY