Ohio gets a statewide soaking on Wednesday, November 4, as rain spreads across the state through the morning and lasts into tonight, according to the National Weather Service. There were no watches, warnings or advisories in effect for Ohio early Wednesday. The rain arrives on gusty south winds, with a slight chance of thunderstorms in central and southwest Ohio, before drier and sunnier weather returns on Thursday and cooler, more seasonal air settles in for the weekend.
In northwest Ohio, rain is expected through the day around Toledo, with a high near 68 and south winds of 14 to 18 mph gusting as high as 31 mph, the National Weather Service in Cleveland said. A quarter to a half inch of rain is possible there during the day. In northeast Ohio, rain moves in after 9 a.m. around Cleveland, with a high near 70 and similar gusty south winds, while the Youngstown area stays mostly cloudy longer, reaching near 77 before temperatures fall into the upper 60s in the afternoon as rain becomes likely after 1 p.m.
Central Ohio sees rain early, with Columbus expecting rain before 10 a.m. and then rain and a slight chance of thunderstorms, a high near 66, and south winds of 12 to 16 mph gusting as high as 30 mph, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington. In southwest Ohio, Cincinnati also expects rain and a slight chance of thunderstorms, with a high near 68 and gusts as high as 25 mph. Southeast Ohio turns rainy after 9 a.m. around Athens, with a high near 71 before temperatures fall to around 66 in the afternoon and gusts reach 22 mph, the National Weather Service in Charleston said.
Tonight, rain continues for a time statewide before tapering off, first in the west and later in the east. Lows fall to around 51 in Cincinnati, 52 in Toledo, 54 in Columbus and 55 in Cleveland and Athens, with southwest winds still gusting into the upper 20s early in the night in some areas. Drivers should allow extra time on wet roads today and tonight, slow down in heavier showers, and watch for gusty crosswinds on open highways.
Thursday brings a clear improvement. The National Weather Service forecasts mostly sunny skies for much of Ohio, with highs near 60 in Toledo, 64 in Columbus and Cleveland, 66 in Cincinnati, 67 in the Youngstown area and 69 in Athens. Thursday night turns partly cloudy and cooler, with lows in the middle and upper 40s.
Another round of showers is possible on Friday as temperatures cool further, with a chance of rain in central Ohio and rain showers likely in the northeast, and highs ranging from the lower 50s in the northwest to the middle 60s in the southeast. The weekend stays cooler and closer to normal for early November: Saturday is partly sunny in central Ohio with a high near 54, while rain showers remain likely in the northeast, and Sunday turns mostly sunny statewide with highs in the middle 50s and overnight lows in the middle to upper 30s. Sunshine and highs near 60 return by Monday.
Photo: James St. John, CC BY