Winter 2024-2025 was the 4th season in a row in which snowfall was well below normal. Only a single winter in the past 10- 2017-2018- has had above normal snowfall, and only just. Two others- 2018-2019 and 2020-2021- had near normal snowfall, though still slightly below the 30-year average, and the other 7 have been significantly below normal. Average winter snowfall for the past decade has been just 17.8″, more than 10″ below the 1991-2020 average. Additionally, the 2024-2025 season lacked a 6″ snowfall, either daily or in any single event. There has been no 6″ snowfall since February 22, 2015, the second longest such period since records began. The December-February period was colder than normal, and it was the coldest heart of winter since 2014-2015. This was thanks largely to January, which also featured the majority of the season’s snowfall.
December-February Traditional winter numbers, 1991-2020 departures from normal where relevant, and overall winter rankings. Rankings are accurate as of the time of the post. Average High: 38.1 (-1.7) 44th Coldest Average Low: 23.6 (-0.9) 45th Coldest Mean: 30.8 (-1.4) Tied for 39th Coldest Coldest High: 11 on January 20th Coldest Low: -3 on January 22nd Coldest Mean: 5.5 on January 21st # of 32 or Below Highs: 29 (+3.2) 21st Most # of 32 or Below Lows: 72 (+3.2) 17th Most Warmest High: 65 on February 3rd Warmest Low: 51 on December 28th Warmest Mean: 57 on December 28th Precipitation: 8.11″ (-0.43″) 59th Wettest Snowfall: 14.6″ (-13.6″) 46th Least Snowy Average Daily Snow Depth: 0.6″ (-0.2″) Tied for 7th Lowest Maximum Snow Depth: 5″ on January 6th and 11th. Largest Snowstorm: 4.4″ on January 5th-6th. 1″+ Snowfall Events: 7 Tied for 8th Fewest # of Measurable Precipitation Days: 37 (-2.1) Tied for 13th Fewest # of Measurable Snowfall Days: 15 (-6.4) Tied for 11th Fewest Highest Average Daily Wind Speed in MPH: 19.2 on December 5th Highest Wind Gust in MPH: 55 on December 5th # of Clear Days: 4 4.44% # of Partly Cloudy Days: 39 43.33% # of Cloudy Days: 47 52.23%
Entire Cold Season: October-April Average High: 52.7 9th Warmest Average Low: 34.1 18th Warmest Mean: 43.4 9th Warmest Precipitation: 18.66″ 56th Wettest Snowfall: 14.8″ 29th Least Snowy Average Snow Depth: 0.3″ Tied for 4th Lowest Largest Snowstorm: 4.4″ on January 5th-6th # of 32 or Below Highs: 30 Tied for 21st Fewest # of 32 or Below Lows: 96 Tied for 17th Fewest # of Measurable Precipitation Days: 74 Tied for 9th Fewest # of Measurable Snowfall Days: 17 Tied for 8th Fewest Highest Average Daily Wind Speed in MPH: 19.2 on December 5th Highest Wind Gust in MPH: 59 on April 29th # of Clear Days: 34 16.04% # of Partly Cloudy Days: 90 42.45% # of Cloudy Days: 88 41.51%
High Temperature Records Set 11/1/2024- A record warm high of 78 was set for the date, breaking the old record of 77 set in 2022. 11/5/2024- A record warm high of 79 was set for the date, breaking the old record of 77 set in 2022. 2/3/2025- A record warm high of 65 was set for the date, breaking the old record of 63 set in 1890. 3/14/2025- A record warm high of 79 was set for the date, breaking the old record of 78 set in 1990.
Low Temperature Records Set 10/30/2024- A record warm low of 59 degrees was tied for the date, matching the previous record set in 2004. 11/5/2024- A record warm low of 62 was tied for the date, matching the old record set in 2022. 3/29/2025- A record warm low of 63 was set for the date, breaking the old record of 59 set in 1977.
Precipitation Records Set None set.
Snowfall Records Set 10/15/2024- A record 0.1″ of snowfall occurred for the date. It was the first recorded instance of measurable snowfall for the date.
Forecast for what would be Columbus’ largest snowfall of the season.
Highest Daily Precipitation by Month October 2024: 0.12″ on the 15th November 2024: 0.97″ on the 14th December 2024: 1.03″ on the 29th January 2025: 0.24″ on the 18th February 2025: 1.15″ on the 16th March 2025: 0.65″ on the 30th April 2025: 1.88″ on the 3rd
Highest Daily Snowfall By Month October 2024: 0.1″ on the 15th November 2024: 0.1″ on the 21st December 2024: 0.3″ on the 11th January 2025: 2.4″ on the 6th February 2025: 1.9″ on the 16th March 2025: Trace on multiple days. April 2025: Trace on the 6th and 7th
Deepest Snow Depth By Month October 2024: 0″ on all days. November 2024: Trace on the 29th December 2024: Trace on the 12th and 13th January 2025: 5″ on the 6th and 11th February 2025: 2″ on the 17th and 18th March 2025: Trace on the 17th April 2025: 0″ on all days.
Highest Wind Gust by Month in MPH October 2024: 46 on the 13th November 2024: 43 on the 20th December 2024: 55 on the 5th January 2025: 38 on the 16th February 2025: 43 on the 28th March 2025: 53 on the 30th April 2025: 59 on the 29th
Clear Days by Month October 2024: 18 58.06% November 2024: 3 10.0% December 2024: 0 0.0% January 2025: 3 9.68% February 2025: 1 3.57% March 2025: 4 12.9% April 2025: 5 16.67%
Partly Cloudy Days by Month October 2024: 12 38.71% November 2024: 11 36.67% December 2024: 12 38.71% January 2025: 13 41.94% February 2025: 14 50.0% March 2025: 17 54.84% April 2025: 11 36.66%
Cloudy Days by Month October 2024: 1 3.23% November 2024: 16 53.33% December 2024: 19 61.29% January 2025: 15 48.39% February 2025: 13 46.43% March 2025: 10 32.26% April 2025: 14 46.67%
The 2010 President’s Day Snowstorm was the third and largest snowstorm to strike Columbus and Ohio during February, 2010. Models began showing the potential for another snow event in the Ohio Valley several days before. Initially, the track was well south, with only counties along the Ohio River being impacted, as this excerpt from the February 12, 2010 Area Forecast Discussion from Wilmington National Weather Service mentions: MODEL SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO DIFFER ON SYSTEM COMING IN SUNDAY NIGHT INTO THE BEGINNING OF THE WORK WEEK. THE GEM IS STILL THE FURTHEST SOUTH WITH THE UPCOMING SYSTEM. THE ECMWF HAS TRENDED NORTH WITH THE LATEST RUN AND IS NOW MORE IN LINE WITH THE GFS. THE ECMWF NOW ACTUALLY HAS THE SURFACE LOW SLIGHTLY FURTHER NORTH THAN THE GFS. WENT WITH A GFS AND ECMWF BLEND. IT WILL BE COLD ENOUGH THAT PRECIPITATION WILL ALL BE IN THE FORM OF SNOW. MONDAY WILL SEE THE GREATEST CHANCE FOR SNOW WITH LOW TRACKING ACROSS KENTUCKY. ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE…ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE OHIO RIVER.
As the event grew closer, however, model solutions inched northward. On the afternoon of Saturday, February 13th, Wilmington issued the first Winter Storm Watch for parts of Ohio, but the focus continued to be south of Columbus. URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 222 PM EST SAT FEB 13 2010 …ANOTHER WINTER STORM TO AFFECT THE OHIO VALLEY… .LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP OVER THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY ON SUNDAY…AND WILL TRACK INTO THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS BY MONDAY EVENING. AS THE LOW MOVES SOUTH OF THE OHIO RIVER SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY…SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD PARTS OF INDIANA…KENTUCKY AND OHIO. THIS SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ACROSS PARTS OF THE OHIO VALLEY…ESPECIALLY ACROSS AREAS SOUTH OF THE I-70 CORRIDOR. FRANKLIN IN-RIPLEY-DEARBORN-OHIO-SWITZERLAND-CARROLL-GALLATIN-BOONE-KENTON-CAMPBELL-OWEN-GRANT-PENDLETON-BRACKEN-ROBERTSON-MASON-LEWIS-FAYETTE OH-PICKAWAY-FAIRFIELD-BUTLER-WARREN-CLINTON-ROSS-HOCKING-HAMILTON-CLERMONT-BROWN-HIGHLAND-ADAMS-PIKE-SCIOTO- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…BROOKVILLE…VERSAILLES…LAWRENCEBURG…RISING SUN…VEVAY…CARROLLTON…WARSAW… BURLINGTON…INDEPENDENCE…ALEXANDRIA…OWENTON…WILLIAMSTOWN…FALMOUTH…BROOKSVILLE…MOUNT OLIVET…MAYSVILLE…VANCEBURG…WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE…CIRCLEVILLE…LANCASTER…HAMILTON… LEBANON…WILMINGTON…CHILLICOTHE…LOGAN…CINCINNATI…MILFORD…GEORGETOWN…HILLSBORO…WEST UNION…PIKETON…PORTSMOUTH …WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT. LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SUNDAY EVENING…AS A STORM SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE OHIO VALLEY. SNOW WILL INCREASE IN INTENSITY THROUGH EARLY MONDAY…WITH OCCASIONAL SNOW CONTINUING INTO MONDAY EVENING. BY THE TIME SNOW ENDS EARLY TUESDAY…THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES…WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. THESE FORECAST SNOW AMOUNTS ARE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE EVENTUAL TRACK OF THE UPCOMING STORM SYSTEM. IF THE SYSTEM MOVES FURTHER NORTH OR SOUTH OF THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK…THEN SNOWFALL AMOUNTS MAY BE LESS.
While Columbus was not included in the initial Watch, its zone forecast did call for accumulating snow by the 13th. OHZ054>056-140930- MADISON-FRANKLIN OH-LICKING- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…LONDON…COLUMBUS…NEWARK 332 PM EST SAT FEB 13 2010 .TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH SCATTERED FLURRIES. LOWS 15 TO 20. WEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH. .SUNDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. SCATTERED FLURRIES IN THE MORNING. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 20S. SOUTHWEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH. .SUNDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOWS 10 TO 15. WEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH…BECOMING NORTHWEST AFTER MIDNIGHT. CHANCE OF SNOW 40 PERCENT. .PRESIDENTS DAY…SNOW. SNOW ACCUMULATION 2 TO 4 INCHES. HIGHS IN THE MID 20S. NORTHEAST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH…BECOMING NORTHWEST IN THE AFTERNOON. CHANCE OF SNOW 80 PERCENT. .MONDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY. SNOW LIKELY IN THE EVENING…THEN A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT. ADDITIONAL LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATION POSSIBLE. LOWS 15 TO 20. WEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH. CHANCE OF SNOW 70 PERCENT. .TUESDAY…CLOUDY WITH A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. HIGHS IN THE MID 20S. .TUESDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. LOWS AROUND 20.
By the morning of the Valentine’s Day, models had moved far enough north with the low track that the I-70 corridor was in line for much higher totals. At 2:43AM that day, the Winter Storm Watch was expanded into Central Ohio, with predictions of 5″-8″. By late morning, the Watch was upgraded to a Warning, and totals were upped slightly to 6″-9″. OHZ054>056-150930- MADISON-FRANKLIN OH-LICKING- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…LONDON…COLUMBUS…NEWARK 409 PM EST SUN FEB 14 2010 …WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM MONDAY TO 6 AM EST TUESDAY… .TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY THIS EVENING…THEN MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT. MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW LATE. LOWS 15 TO 20. SOUTHWEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH… BECOMING SOUTHEAST AFTER MIDNIGHT. CHANCE OF SNOW 40 PERCENT. .PRESIDENTS DAY…SNOW. SNOW MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES IN THE AFTERNOON. SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 4 TO 6 INCHES. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 20S. NORTHEAST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH…BECOMING NORTH IN THE AFTERNOON. CHANCE OF SNOW 100 PERCENT. .MONDAY NIGHT…SNOW…MAINLY IN THE EVENING. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 6 TO 9 INCHES. LOWS AROUND 20. WEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH. CHANCE OF SNOW 90 PERCENT. .TUESDAY…CLOUDY. SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY…MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATION POSSIBLE. HIGHS IN THE MID 20S. WEST WINDS 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH. CHANCE OF SNOW 60 PERCENT. .TUESDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY WITH A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS.LOWS IN THE LOWER 20S. WEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH.
Snow began in the area by 8:30AM on the 15th and was heavy through mid-afternoon. The bulk of the snow moved out of the area by Midnight, with only occasional wraparound snow showers continuing into the 16th.
The storm generally exceeded forecast snow totals across the region. Columbus received a record 9.7″ for the 15th, with a total storm total of 10.4″, making it one of the very rare storms to produce double-digit snowfall totals for the city. Since 1950, Columbus has had just 6 such events- the Great Thanksgiving Blizzard of 1950, April 3-4, 1987, February 14-17, 2003, March, 2008, President’s Day 2010 and February 4-5, 2014. Double-digit snowfalls have historically occurred roughly once every 12 years. It has been 9 years since the last one, but there have been decades between some of them.
Snowfall totals across Franklin County were 7″-11″, with the highest totals in the southwest. Most of the I-70 corridor south had at least 6″. Snow depths in Columbus reached record highs, with the airport having a post-storm depth of 14″, the highest February depth since at least 1939.
This was the peak event for the month, but not the end of February, 2010’s historically snowy run. A 4th, but far smaller snow event would occur towards the end of the month, bringing a general 3″-5″ across most areas. This would contribute to making the month the all-time snowiest on record for many areas. Columbus’ 30.1″ of snow for the month was the highest on record, and is the 2nd snowiest of any month to ever occur, falling just behind January, 1978’s 34.4″. Cincinnati, Dayton and other cities would also record either their top snowiest or 2nd snowiest February as well. Additionally, Winter 2009-2010 went into the record books at the 5th snowiest of all time. A truly memorable run!
If you are interested in seeing stats from other winters, records of all types can be found on the Winter Season Records page.
The very cold Christmas of 1872 began on December 19-20, 1872, when a significant storm system moved northwestward through the Great Lakes. Chicago reported numerous train delays coming from the west, and streets were blocked with drifts in some places. Further east, the storm brought heavy rains to places like Pittsburgh, which saw its river shipping wharfs flooded. Similar to the events of February 1899 and January 1994, this storm seems to have been the catalyst for a major arctic outbreak.
Temperatures began plummeting in the Upper Midwest. By December 21st, reports from Minnesota put temperatures at well below -20, but temperatures were already well below freezing in Ohio. On the 22nd, ice on the Ohio River broke several barges loose from their moorings in Cincinnati and sank them.
Official records of daily weather did not begin in Columbus until the summer of 1878. However, the cold weather did not go unreported. The entire week leading into Christmas was cold, but the arctic air seems to have reached its height on Christmas Eve and Day. Temperatures fell well below zero, with thermometers hitting -10 to -20 across Central Ohio on Christmas Eve. Temperatures continued below zero on Christmas Day. The Columbus Dispatch, barely a year into its first year of publication, wrote about the cold spell on December 26th.
“A cold spell, a tidal wave, so to speak, has been sweeping all around and over us for the last 48 hours. It was a wave not fully reported by ‘Probabilities’ at Washington, but came through the air, without telegraphic warning, from some frigid region adjacent to the North Pole. This morning we hear of various figures below zero. It is well to shut up the doors, double-bank the windows, pile on the coal, wrap up in furs, and make ready for an Esquimaux winter. This morning, the wave brought “beautiful snow”, but it did not tarry long enough to settle down to a steady habit and snow us up. The snow breeze passed on. We are pleased that it delayed, no longer. Three such days were enough, even though one of them was Christmas. We will be content if we never see its like again this winter.”
Temperatures were cold across the Great Lakes during the period. In Cleveland, where Lake Erie normally modifies the temperature, it fell to -12 on the 22nd and was -2 on Christmas morning.
After the Christmas Week cold spell, the rest of the winter had several more bouts of severe cold. In some places in the Midwest and Great Lakes, it was one of the coldest winters ever. In Minneapolis, the average temperature over the 3 winter months was just 7.9 degrees, putting it as one of the top 5 coldest winters ever even today.
Forecasts on December 4th, 2007 called for a weak, fast-moving clipper to affect much of the Midwest, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and east to the Mid-Atlantic coast. Most forecasts in Ohio had the area south of I-80 down to just north of the Ohio River getting 1-3″ of snowfall, with a potential max of 2-4″ in south-central Ohio from Dayton to Chillicothe.
OHZ045-046-054>056-065-051015- UNION OH-DELAWARE-MADISON-FRANKLIN OH-LICKING-FAIRFIELD- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…MARYSVILLE…DELAWARE…LONDON… COLUMBUS…NEWARK…LANCASTER 355 PM EST TUE DEC 4 2007
…SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 PM EST WEDNESDAY…
.TONIGHT…FLURRIES WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW THIS EVENING…THEN SNOW LIKELY AFTER MIDNIGHT. SNOW LATE. SNOW ACCUMULATION AN INCH OR LESS. LOWS IN THE MID 20S. LIGHT NORTHEAST WINDS…BECOMING SOUTHEAST AFTER MIDNIGHT. CHANCE OF SNOW 100 PERCENT. .WEDNESDAY…SNOW IN THE MORNING…THEN SNOW LIKELY IN THE AFTERNOON. TOTAL ACCUMULATION OF 2 TO 3 INCHES. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 30S. NORTHEAST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH…BECOMING NORTH 10 TO 15 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. CHANCE OF SNOW 100 PERCENT. .WEDNESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE EVENING…THEN BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 15 TO 20. NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH… DECREASING TO AROUND 5 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.
Snowfall began in western Ohio at about 10pm and reached central Ohio by midnight on the 4th. It began as flurries and light snow showers but gradually increased in intensity overnight and into the morning of the 5th, becoming heavy at times. By the time that the snowfall ended around 2:30pm in the afternoon, 4-6″ covered most of central Ohio, with the heaviest accumulations right near the I-70 corridor. Another max of snow occurred along a Mansfield to Canton line where a general 4-6″ also occurred.
The night of the 5th-6th brought a cold night for most of Ohio as clear skies after the storm and snow-covered ground sent temperatures far below normal. Most areas saw temperatures in the single digits, and many even fell into the single digits below zero. For Columbus, the low of 9 was the second lowest temperature ever recorded for the 6th of December.
The March, 2008 Columbus snowstorm was a historic and memorable event that will likely not be surpassed for a very long time, if ever. More than one week prior to the Blizzard of 2008, models had been hinting at a significant storm somewhere in the eastern US. Initially, models took the storm up the East Coast, but as the storm neared, models moved it further and further west and settled upon a track just west/just along the spine of the Appalachians. The track waffled for days, but never strayed far from the Appalachian track. Because the storm was originating near the Gulf of Mexico, models were showing the storm pulling vast amounts of moisture north into cold air over the Ohio Valley. Simply put, the track and conditions were being forecast to be perfect for a significant Ohio snowstorm.
Local forecasters, however, weren’t buying it… at least not at first. Four days before the storm, neither the NWS nor the television forecasters were calling for a significant event. The winter of 2007-08 had brought several storm busts, and none of them seemed ready to buy into another one. So right up to 24-36 hours before the event began, most forecasters were calling for 6″ maximum north and west of the I-71 corridor with a mix along the corridor and mostly rain to the south and east.
At 4AM on March 6th, the National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Watch for parts of Ohio, including Central Ohio. The Watch called for 5″-10″ northwest of I-71, with lesser amounts along 71 due to a predicted changeover to sleet and freezing rain and far less just to the south and east.
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 353 AM EST THU MAR 6 2008
INZ050-058-059-066-073>075-080-KYZ089>095-OHZ026-034-035-042>046- 051>056-060>063-070>072-077-078-061700- /O.NEW.KILN.WS.A.0005.080307T1200Z-080309T0000Z/ WAYNE-FAYETTE IN-UNION IN-FRANKLIN IN-RIPLEY-DEARBORN-OHIO- SWITZERLAND-CARROLL-GALLATIN-BOONE-KENTON-CAMPBELL-OWEN-GRANT- HARDIN-MERCER-AUGLAIZE-DARKE-SHELBY-LOGAN-UNION OH-DELAWARE-MIAMI- CHAMPAIGN-CLARK-MADISON-FRANKLIN OH-LICKING-PREBLE-MONTGOMERY- GREENE-FAYETTE OH-BUTLER-WARREN-CLINTON-HAMILTON-CLERMONT- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…RICHMOND…CONNERSVILLE…LIBERTY… BROOKVILLE…VERSAILLES…LAWRENCEBURG…RISING SUN…VEVAY… CARROLLTON…WARSAW…BURLINGTON…INDEPENDENCE…ALEXANDRIA… OWENTON…WILLIAMSTOWN…KENTON…CELINA…WAPAKONETA… GREENVILLE…SIDNEY…BELLEFONTAINE…MARYSVILLE…DELAWARE… PIQUA…URBANA…SPRINGFIELD…LONDON…COLUMBUS…NEWARK… EATON…DAYTON…XENIA…WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE…HAMILTON… LEBANON…WILMINGTON…CINCINNATI…MILFORD 353 AM EST THU MAR 6 2008
…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING.
LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP IN THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY LATE TONIGHT AND LIFT NORTHEAST INTO THE TENNESSEE AND OHIO VALLEYS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE REGION FROM THE SOUTH ON FRIDAY MORNING. THE SNOW WILL LIKELY MIX WITH OR CHANGE OVER TO SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG AND TO THE EAST OF THE INTERSTATE 71 CORRIDOR FROM CINCINNATI TO COLUMBUS. AS COLDER AIR FILTERS BACK INTO THE REGION…ANY MIXED PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE BACK TO ALL SNOW FRIDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE INTO SATURDAY. MINOR ICE ACCUMULATIONS ON TREES AND POWER LINES WILL BE POSSIBLE. PRECIPITATION WILL REMAIN MOSTLY ALL SNOW WEST OF THE INTERSTATE 71 CORRIDOR. 5 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS…WITH LIGHTER AMOUNTS FURTHER EAST WHERE SNOW MIXES WITH FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET.
THE EXACT PATH AND STRENGTH OF THE SYSTEM IS STILL IN QUESTION. IF THE SYSTEM MOVES FARTHER WEST MORE WARM AIR WILL LIFT INTO THE REGION…CAUSING LOWER SNOWFALL TOTALS AND MORE MIXED PRECIPITATION. IF THE SYSTEM SLIDES FARTHER EAST…LESS MIXED PRECIPITATION WOULD OCCUR AND SNOWFALL TOTALS WOULD BE HIGHER.
The Watch above did acknowledge that less mix could lead to higher totals, but nothing to the degree that would eventually fall. By later on the afternoon of the 6th, Watch totals did begin to creep up somewhat to 6″-10″ for the I-71 corridor, but the forecast still called for significant icing.
A Winter Storm Warning was finally issued at 4:30AM on March 7th, just hours before the snow would begin to fall.
OHZ045-046-053>056-062-063-071-072-078-071745- /O.UPG.KILN.WS.A.0005.080307T1200Z-080309T0000Z/ /O.NEW.KILN.WS.W.0006.080307T1700Z-080308T2100Z/ UNION OH-DELAWARE-CLARK-MADISON-FRANKLIN OH-LICKING-GREENE- FAYETTE OH-WARREN-CLINTON-CLERMONT- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…MARYSVILLE…DELAWARE…SPRINGFIELD… LONDON…COLUMBUS…NEWARK…XENIA…WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE… LEBANON…WILMINGTON…MILFORD 436 AM EST FRI MAR 7 2008
…WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 4 PM EST SATURDAY…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 4 PM EST SATURDAY.
LIGHT SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE REGION LATE THIS MORNING. THE SNOW WILL BECOME HEAVIER THIS AFTERNOON…AND LAST THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. FIVE TO SEVEN INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED TONIGHT…WITH AN ADDITIONAL FIVE TO SEVEN INCHES FALLING SATURDAY MORNING. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF AND END SATURDAY AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION…NORTH WINDS AT 20 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING…AND LIMIT VISIBILITIES TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. BY LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON…A FOOT OR MORE OF SNOW IS EXPECTED WITH DRIFTS OVER TWO FEET.
The Warning abandoned all mention of mixing as models came in colder, and totals were now predicted to be at least a foot in the Columbus area with near blizzard conditions.
My personal account of the storm:
On Thursday, March 6th, I worked a 12-hour day at my store. Customers were talking about forecasts of 4-8″, which in central Ohio is significant in and of itself. We typically get one or two 6″ storms, but rarely up to 8″ and almost never more than that. In fact, in all of Columbus history, there have been less than a dozen snow events that broke double digits. Still, in the talking there were whispers that the storm would be more significant. By Thursday night when I arrived home, I discovered the radar was lit up over the South with a growing area of precipitation heading north. Temperatures had already cooled into the low 30s as a cold front had moved through during the day. Forecasts had changed late in the afternoon, and there were many calls of 6-10″ along I-71 by Sunday.
Friday, March 7th was my day off, and I woke up before 8am in the excitement and inticipation of the impending snow. The radar was showing returns north of the Ohio River then and it was already snowing in Cincinnati. Finally, at 9:05am, flurries began to fall and quickly intensified to a steady, windblown snow. A 9:30, I left the house to go to the store. By the time I reached it, the snow had turned heavy and was accumulating quickly. Visibility had dropped to a 1/4 mile at times and many roads were already snowcovered by the time I reached home.
The snow continued throughout the day and forecasts kept changing. At 3:30PM, the Winter Storm Warning was upgraded to a Blizzard Warning for the entire area until 4PM the following day.
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 325 PM EST FRI MAR 7 2008
…EXTREME WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON…
.A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE OHIO VALLEY OVERNIGHT INTO SATURDAY. THIS STORM WILL HIT AS A ONE TWO PUNCH. THE INITIAL PUNCH TODAY…FOLLOWED BY A BRIEF LULL IN THE SNOW INTENSITY THIS EVENING…BEFORE PICKING UP IN INTENSITY AGAIN OVERNIGHT WHEN STRONG LOW PRESSURE WILL COMBINE WITH AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE TO BRING A SECOND ROUND OF HEAVY SNOW TO THE REGION. WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 40 MPH AT TIMES OVERNIGHT…THESE WINDS COMBINED WITH SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL CAUSE EXTREME WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS.
INZ066-073>075-080-KYZ089>099-OHZ026-043>046-051>056-060>065- 070>073-077>080-082-080430- /O.CAN.KILN.WS.W.0006.000000T0000Z-080308T2100Z/ /O.NEW.KILN.BZ.W.0001.080307T2025Z-080308T2100Z/ FRANKLIN IN-RIPLEY-DEARBORN-OHIO-SWITZERLAND-CARROLL-GALLATIN- BOONE-KENTON-CAMPBELL-OWEN-GRANT-PENDLETON-BRACKEN-ROBERTSON- MASON-HARDIN-SHELBY-LOGAN-UNION OH-DELAWARE-MIAMI-CHAMPAIGN-CLARK- MADISON-FRANKLIN OH-LICKING-PREBLE-MONTGOMERY-GREENE-FAYETTE OH- PICKAWAY-FAIRFIELD-BUTLER-WARREN-CLINTON-ROSS-HAMILTON-CLERMONT- BROWN-HIGHLAND-PIKE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…BROOKVILLE…VERSAILLES… LAWRENCEBURG…RISING SUN…VEVAY…CARROLLTON…WARSAW… BURLINGTON…INDEPENDENCE…ALEXANDRIA…OWENTON…WILLIAMSTOWN… FALMOUTH…BROOKSVILLE…MOUNT OLIVET…MAYSVILLE…KENTON… SIDNEY…BELLEFONTAINE…MARYSVILLE…DELAWARE…PIQUA…URBANA… SPRINGFIELD…LONDON…COLUMBUS…NEWARK…EATON…DAYTON… XENIA…WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE…CIRCLEVILLE…LANCASTER… HAMILTON…LEBANON…WILMINGTON…CHILLICOTHE…CINCINNATI… MILFORD…GEORGETOWN…HILLSBORO…PIKETON 325 PM EST FRI MAR 7 2008
…BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM EST SATURDAY… …WINTER STORM WARNING IS CANCELLED…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM EST SATURDAY. THE WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE OHIO VALLEY OVERNIGHT INTO SATURDAY. THIS STORM WILL HIT AS A ONE TWO PUNCH. THE INITIAL PUNCH TODAY…FOLLOWED BY A BRIEF LULL IN THE SNOW INTENSITY THIS EVENING…BEFORE PICKING UP IN INTENSITY AGAIN OVERNIGHT WHEN STRONG LOW PRESSURE WILL COMBINE WITH AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE TO BRING A SECOND ROUND OF HEAVY SNOW TO THE REGION. WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 40 MPH AT TIMES OVERNIGHT. BEFORE THE STORM ENDS SATURDAY AFTERNOON…YOU CAN EXPECT 10 TO 15 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION. THE STRONG WINDS COMBINED WITH SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL CAUSE EXTREME WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES CAUSING WHITEOUT…AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.
DO NOT TRAVEL UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. CONDITIONS CAN DETERIORATE RAPIDLY IN BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.
Meanwhile, the snow continued into the evening and overnight hours of the 7th. Although it did lighten somewhat towards midnight, it never completely stopped. By midnight, in any case, 5-7″ had fallen throughout Columbus and central Ohio, which set a daily record.
Saturday, March 8th dawned very wintry. By dawn, no less than 10″ was on the ground and the snow was continuing to fall heavily. Winds were generally sustained near 20mph in the morning and increased during the late morning/early afternoon. Heavy snow and winds combined to create total whiteout conditions at times, and every county along I-71 from Cincinnati to Cleveland went under a level 2 or level 3 snow emergency.
At 11am, I went for a walk in the snow. It was still falling heavily and roads were nearly impassable with deep snow. Cars in some cases were buried in snow.
By 2pm, a break in the snowfall came as the low moved to the east of Ohio. When it moved into New York, wraparound snow moved back into the area for 3-4 more hours before ending by 6:30pm Saturday afternoon. The sun even poked through the clouds as it set, producing a very picturesque and beautiful winter scene. A fitting end to the day.
All in all, it was a record setting snowstorm all across the state. Columbus’ 20.5″ of snowfall, including 15.5″ on Saturday alone, was the greatest snowstorm of all time for the city. It also established the greatest 24-hour snowfall and the greatest snow depth ever recorded for any month at 18″. No part of the state was spared, as all major cities except Toledo had 10″ or more. Drifts of 5-7 feet deep were reported in many areas.
Aside from Columbus’ record, here were some other totals across Ohio. Cincinnati: 10.7″ Dayton: 15.4″ Lancaster: 17.0″ Akron: 17.1″ Marysville: 15.5″ Chillicothe: 14.0″ Westerville: 15.0″ Grove City: 11.3″ London: 17.0″ Cleveland: 14.8″ Delaware: 13.5″ Springfield: 15.0″ Belletontaine: 11.0″ Circleville: 13.5″
The storm also brought some areas of the state to record territory in total seasonal snowfall.
Incidentally, 30 years and 2 months prior, the Great Blizzard of 1978 struck. It is somewhat of note that Ohio’s greatest blizzards on record occurred during the “8” years. 1918, 1978, and now 2008.
The first image below is a model snow depth forecast ending on March 9th. The second is a photo of the heavy snow in Columbus during the evening of the 7th.
Snow in Hilltop, Columbus.
Here are some videos during the storm. Cincinnati
Cleveland
Columbus
Historic winter storms from other months and years, along with many more records, can be found under Weather History And to look up current weather and local forecasts go here: Wilmington National Weather Service
