Wintery weather with rain/snow showers, temperature drops and strong winds

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — The wintry weather will arrive on Wednesday night and last until Friday. Rain and snow showers in combination with strong winds create January-like conditions.

• WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Rain and snow showers, windy, rough, low 34.
• THURSDAY: Snow and rain showers, light snow accumulations, windy, wind chills in the 20s, high 37.
• FRIDAY: Snow showers in the morning with light accumulations causing some isolated slick spots on bridges and overpasses, changing to scattered showers in the afternoon, windy, warmer, high temperature 45.
• SATURDAY: Rain showers ending before sunrise, mostly cloudy, windy, high 48.
• SUNDAY: Partly to mostly cloudy, milder, high 52.
• MONDAY: Mostly cloudy, scattered rain showers, windy, high 58.
• TUESDAY: Mostly cloudy, chance of a few showers, high 50.
• WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy, cooler, high 42.

Before we get into the details of the forecast, let’s discuss some weather terms you’re likely to hear a lot in the coming days.

“Snowfall” is the amount of snow that has fallen since the last measurement. “Snow depth” is the amount of snow on the ground at any given time. We expect these readings to be very different for this event as some of the snow will mix with rain and warm ground temperatures will lead to melting. The almost random nature of the melting makes predicting the numbers a real challenge. Total snowfall over the next 48 hours could be an inch or even two inches, but snow depths at any time will likely be about a half inch or less.

And a quick note on winter weather warnings: In Columbus, to meet the criteria for a WWA, we need 3 inches or more of snow, at least 1/4 inch of ice, and/or significant impacts to travel. Warm surface temperatures will cause much of the incoming snow to melt on contact, minimizing some of the impact on travel conditions. That said, we may see some slick spots on bridges and overpasses, especially by Friday morning; it’s worth slowing down and being careful, but it may not reach the level of a Winter Weather Advisory.

And on with the prediction

A cold front will sweep across the state this afternoon, ushering in scattered rain showers and an abrupt increase in wind speed. Before the front the wind is almost calm, but behind the front the wind jumps to 40 to 40 km per hour, with even higher gusts. We’re going to lose a lot more leaves. Temperatures also drop very quickly; around noon, Columbus is in the upper 50s and Springfield is in the lower 40s. It’s a very rapid drop!

We’ll get a brief break from rain tonight before a secondary front slams into the state late tonight and overnight with another round of precipitation. This batch will likely include rain, wintry mix and snow showers for Thursday morning’s commute. With surface temperatures in the 50s, much of the initial snowfall will melt on contact. The roads will be wet and resemble a rainy day.

Snow and rain showers will continue to fall during the day on Thursday, with temperatures around thirty degrees and gusts of wind. some light accumulations are possible. A low pressure center will move into Northwest Ohio Thursday evening, producing another round of snow showers. As temperatures drop below 30 degrees, some snow may stick to raised surfaces and landscaping. Slippery spots can occur on bridges and viaducts, especially during nighttime hours. Exercise caution during your Friday morning commute.

The snow showers will turn to rain during the day on Friday, while temperatures will rise back into the mid-40s. Any accumulated snow will likely melt quickly when it rains and in warmer temperatures. The rain will taper off overnight and eventually move out of the area early Saturday morning. High pressure will arrive briefly on Sunday as the sun breaks through the clouds.

Another low pressure center will reach the Lower Great Lakes on Monday morning. Warm air ahead of the system will push temperatures into the upper 50s, with scattered rain showers across the region throughout the day. The system’s cold front will rush through Monday evening without much fanfare.

A small disturbance at upper levels could bring some random showers on Tuesday and Wednesday, but many areas will remain mostly cloudy and dry. Confidence is relatively low and we expect updates to this part of the forecast as new data comes in.