Earliest First Snows in Columbus




Earliest first snows in Columbus

The city and area may have its first accumulating snow this evening into Sunday, according to the Wilmington National Weather Service. Some may think that it’s a bit early for this to be happening, but in fact, there have been many years with far earlier first snowfalls. So what exactly were the earliest first snows in Columbus?

The earliest recorded measurable snowfall in Columbus occurred on October 10, 1906. A strong cold front brought rain on the 9th that changed to snow showers during the early morning hours of the 10th. The snow only amounted to 0.1″, but it was enough to be counted as officially the earliest measurable snowfall on record.

Here are earliest days with snowfall of any amount.
1. 10/4/2014: Trace
2. 10/9/1979: Trace
3. 10/10/1906: 0.1″
4. 10/11/1906: Trace
5. 10/12/1907, 10/12/1909, 10/12/1917, 10/12/1921, 10/12/1988, 10/12/1991, 10/12/2006: Trace
6. 10/13/2006: Trace
7. 10/14/1937: Trace
8. 10/16/1943, 10/16/1978, 10/16/2004: Trace
9. 10/18/1966, 10/18/1972, 10/18/1992: Trace
10. 10/19/1917, 10/19/1925, 10/19/1972, 10/19/1974, 10/19/1989: Trace
10. 10/19/1880: 1.0″
10. 10/19/1989: 0.4″
11. 10/20/1889, 10/20/1974, 10/20/1989, 10/20/1992: Trace
12. 10/21/1913, 10/21/1976, 10/21/1987, 10/21/1989: Trace
13. 10/22/1904, 10/22/1913, 10/22/1917: Trace
13. 10/22/1925: 1.0″
14. 10/23/1962, 10/23/2006, 10/23/2013: Trace
14. 10/23/1917: 0.6″
15. 10/24/1929, 10/24/1937, 10/24/1955, 10/24/1962, 10/24/2006, 10/24/2013: Trace
16. 10/25/1892, 10/25/1926, 10/25/1967, 10/25/1980: Trace
16. 10/25/1962: 1.3″
17. 10/26/1926, 10/26/1942, 10/26/1957, 10/26/1962, 10/26/1980, 10/26/2001: Trace
18. 10/27/1886, 10/27/1898, 10/27/1957, 10/27/1976, 10/27/2008: Trace
19. 10/28/1939, 10/28/1952, 10/28/1967, 10/28/2008, 10/28/2017: Trace
19. 10/28/1906: 0.1″
19. 10/28/1910, 10/28/1925: 0.5″
20. 10/29/1890, 10/29/1893, 10/29/1925, 10/29/2002, 10/29/2012: Trace

So the first traces of snow have occurred nearly a full month and a half prior to today’s date. In 2014, the first trace of snow occurred just a few weeks after the end of summer!

And here are the earliest measurable snowfalls only.
1. 10/10/1906: 0.1″
2. 10/19/1880: 1.0″
2. 10/19/1989: 0.4″
3. 10/22/1925: 1.0″
4. 10/23/1917: 0.6″
5. 10/25/1962: 1.3″
6. 10/28/1906: 0.1″
6. 10/28/1910, 10/28/1925: 0.5″
7. 10/30/1925: 1.5″
7. 10/30/1993: 3.6″
7. 10/30/2012: 0.6″
8. 10/31/1954: 0.2″
8. 10/31/1993: 1.0″
9. 11/1/1951, 11/1/1954: 0.2″
10. 11/2/1951: 1.3″
10. 11/2/1954: 0.2″
10. 11/2/1966: 4.7″
10. 11/2/1999: 1.1″
11. 11/3/1954: 0.1″
11. 11/3/1966: 1.0″
11. 11/3/1999: 0.4″
12. 11/4/1926: 1.4″
12. 11/4/1936: 3.5″
12. 11/4/1954: 0.4″
12. 11/4/1997: 0.5″
13. 11/5/1897, 11/5/1967: 0.1″
13. 11/5/1966: 0.3″
13. 11/5/1992: 1.2″
14. 11/6/1886: 1.2″
14. 11/6/1951, 11/6/1967: 0.2″
14. 11/6/1971: 1.8″
14. 11/6/1988: 0.8″
14. 11/6/1993: 0.1″
15. 11/7/1894: 3.0″
15. 11/7/1953: 0.4″
15. 11/7/1967: 0.9″
15. 11/7/1991: 0.2″
16. 11/8/1900: 0.5″
16. 11/8/1927, 11/8/1933: 0.1″
17. 11/9/1892: 2.1″
17. 11/9/1913: 5.0″
17. 11/9/1941, 11/9/1968: 0.3″
17. 11/9/1971: 0.7″
17. 11/9/1996: 0.2″
18. 11/10/1892: 1.5″
18. 11/10/1894: 0.3″
18. 11/10/1913: 2.5″
18. 11/10/1921: 0.5″
19. 11/11/1894, 11/11/1983: 0.5″
19. 11/11/1921, 11/11/2013: 0.3″
19. 11/11/1986: 0.4″
19. 11/11/1995: 0.1″
19. 11/11/2019: 2.1″
20. 11/12/1886: 2.2″
20. 11/12/1911: 0.2″
20. 11/12/1921: 0.5″
20. 11/12/1968: 0.4″
20. 11/12/1991: 0.3″
20. 11/12/2013: 0.9″
20. 11/12/2019: 0.7″

The average first snow in Columbus is typically between the 2nd and 3rd week of November, so really, this year’s first snow is arriving more or less right on schedule. Accumulations are predicted to be 1″ or less. Historic climatology records are available for all periods.



Summer 2021 Review




Summer 2021 Review Columbus, Ohio

The Summer 2021 review shows a rather warm and wet season, but extremes were rare. Record heat did not occur, and severe weather- a typical event during the summer- was all but missing for the region.

The rankings are accurate through the time of posting, and that data largely comes from the Wilmington National Weather Service. Other comparative data is at the Summer Season Records page.

1991-2020 Summer Normals
Average High: 83.9
Average Low: 63.6
Mean: 73.8
Precipitation: 12.74″

June-August
Average High: 84.9 Tied for 23rd Warmest
Average Low: 65.8 Tied for 6th Warmest
Mean: 74.4 12th Warmest
Precipitation: 14.38″ 24th Wettest
# of 70 or Below Highs: 1 Tied for 2nd Fewest
# of 50 or Below Lows: 1 Tied for 2nd Fewest
# of 90 or Above Highs: 19 Tied for 21st Most
# of 100 or Above Highs: 0 Tied for 1st Fewest
# of 70 or Above Lows: 29 Tied for 4th Most
# of Measurable Precipitation Days: 39 Tied for 7th Most

Average High By Month
June 2021: 84.3 17th Warmest
July 2021: 84.4 Tied for 33rd Coldest
August 2021: 86.1 Tied for 18th Warmest

Average Low By Month
June 2021: 64.1 Tied for 10th Warmest
July 2021: 66.1 Tied for 26th Warmest
August 2021: 67.3 Tied for 7th Warmest

Mean By Month
June 2021: 74.2 Tied for 12th Warmest
July 2021: 75.2 Tied for 35th Warmest
August 2021: 76.7 10th Warmest

Precipitation By Month
June 2021: 2.58″ 35th Driest
July 2021: 4.64″ Tied for 50th Wettest
August 2021: 7.16″ Tied for 5th Wettest

Summer 2021 got both progressively warmer and wetter as it went.



Maximum High By Month
June 2021: 96 on June 29th
July 2021: 92 on July 5th, 6th and 7th
August 2021: 92 on August 12th and 24th

Minimum High By Month
June 2021: 68 on June 2nd
July 2021: 75 on July 10th
August 2021: 77 on August 15th

Maximum Low By Month
June 2021: 73 on June 20th, 26th and 27th
July 2021: 72 on July 12th, 13th and 25th
August 2021: 72 on August 11th, 12th and 29th

Maximum Low Records
-The 73 on June 20th tied the record for the date, last set in 1931.
-The 73 on June 26th tied the record for the date, last set in 1998.

Minimum Low By Month
June 2021: 50 on June 23rd
July 2021: 56 on July 3rd
August 2021: 58 on August 2nd

Highest Daily Precipitation By Month
June 2021: 0.60″ on June 7th
July 2021: 1.26″ on July 1st
August 2021: 1.55″ on August 16th

Precipitation Records
-The 1.55″ on August 16th set a new record for the date, breaking the 1.26″ set in 1934.

Measurable Precipitation Days By Month
June 2021: 12
July 2021: 10
August 2021: 17

Severe weather was unusually limited over the summer. Columbus had only 3 severe thunderstorm warnings over the entire 3 month period- on July 29th, August 11th and August 12th. July 29th brought quarter-sized hail and strong winds to the Downtown area, while the August dates brought strong winds up to 60MPH.