Much to the potential annoyance of many, parts of Ohio- including Columbus are predicted to see a late-season snowfall Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. As late as it may seem, Columbus has seen even later season snowfalls since 1878. Though rare, these events do happen, and have sometimes been significant.
The US weather map on the morning of May 21, 1883.
The absolute latest measurable snow occurred on May 21st, 1883, when 0.4″ fell. The amount was not impactful, but the date certainly was. People are normally thinking about summer by then, but instead got a nasty taste of winter. The present-day I-71 corridor in the state generally had had an inch or less- Cincinnati had upwards of 2″, with 3″ near Hamilton. However, areas just to the north and west were hammered with the heaviest May snow ever recorded.
An excerpt from the book “Thunder in the Heartland” by Thomas W. Schmidlin: “A drizzling rain on Monday morning, 21 May, turned to snow at 9AM, and the air was filled with large, damp flakes all day. The Sidney Journal reported that ‘though it thawed, it lay six inches deep on Tuesday morning.’ Considering that much of the snow melted as it fell, a total of fifteen to twenty inches was estimated for Sidney. Snow depts of ten inches were measured on the north side of buildings at Houston in Shelby County.”
The Columbus Dispatch reported that snow fell in every major city from Lancaster north and west. Crops and trees were damaged by the heavy, wet snow across Western Ohio during the event. Temperatures at most locations were at or above freezing during the snow, so it did not stick around long after. Just 3 days later, it hit 80 degrees in Columbus.
Dates of Measurable Snowfalls After April 15th 1. May 21, 1883: 0.4″ 2. May 9, 1923: 0.3″ 3. May 7, 1989: 0.8″ 4. April 30, 1908: 2.4″ 5. April 24, 2005: 3.0″ 6. April 22, 1893: 0.8″ 6. April 22, 1901: 0.1″ 7. April 21, 1934: 0.4″ 7. April 21, 1936: 0.2″ 7. April 21, 1953: 0.2″ 8. April 20, 1910: 2.4″ 8. April 20, 1962: 0.1″ 9. April 19, 1887: 0.1″ 9. April 19, 1907: 0.4″ 9. April 19, 1969: 0.5″ 9. April 19, 2019: 0.3″ 10. April 18, 1983: 0.1″ 10. April 18, 1984: 0.3″ 11. April 17, 1961: 1.0″ 11. April 17, 2001: 0.6″ 12. April 16, 1935: 0.4″ 12. April 16, 1956: 0.3″ 12. April 16, 1996: 0.1″
Trace amounts have occurred many additional times after April 15th, including into early May. Measurable snow, however, has only occurred 23 times after April 15th since 1878. So snow after that date has occurred roughly once out of every 6.2 years. That rate is not going to be matched this time, as measurable snow fell on April 19th last year. Snow is predicted sometime tomorrow night, the 20th. If it ends up being measurable, it would fall into the tie of 8th latest such ever recorded.
The Winter 2019-2020 Review has arrived! Aside some a few instances, winter was largely absent in Ohio for the 2019-2020 season. The season was bookended by periods of cold while the heart of winter was one of the warmest on record. Along with the warmth, precipitation was high throughout the season, but that didn’t translate into much snow.
Temperature and snowfall ranking data goes back to the winter of 1878-1879. Snow depth ranking data goes back to 1940.
December-February Only Average High: 43.5 11th Warmest Average Low: 28.3 9th Warmest Mean: 35.9 10th Warmest Precipitation: 9.69″ 29th Wettest Snowfall: 8.3″ 16th Least Snowiest Average Daily Snow Depth: 0.1″ 2nd Lowest Largest Snowstorm: 2.2″ December 15th-16th 32 or Below Highs: 12 6th Fewest 32 or Below Lows: 65 13th Fewest Measurable Precipitation Days: 34 10th Fewest Measurable Snowfall Days: 13 9th Fewest Deepest Snow Depth: 2″ on February 9th Days with 1″+ Snow Depth: 5 3rd Fewest
Entire Cold Season- October-April Average High: 51.9 10th Warmest Average Low: 34.1 17th Warmest Mean: 43.0 11th Warmest Precipitation: 27.60″ 6th Wettest Snowfall: 11.7″ 18th Least Snowiest Average Snow Depth: 0.1″ 2nd Lowest Largest Snowstorm: 2.8″ November 11th-12th 32 or Below Highs: 14 4th Fewest 32 or Below Lows: 98 17th Fewest Measurable Precipitation Days: 87 18th Most Measurable Snowfall Days: 16 7th Fewest Deepest Snow Depth: 2″ on February 9th Days with 1″+ Snow Depth: 8 5th Fewest
Average High By Month October 2019: 69.8 13th Warmest November 2019: 47.3 21st Coldest December 2019: 45.9 12th Warmest January 2020: 43.3 16th Warmest February 2020: 41.2 35th Warmest March 2020: 55.4 18th Warmest April 2020: 59.6 21st Coldest
Average Low By Month October 2019: 47.0 26th Warmest November 2019: 30.3 9th Coldest December 2019: 28.8 28th Warmest January 2020: 30.1 8th Warmest February 2020: 25.9 35th Warmest March 2020: 37.6 13th Warmest April 2020: 38.7 16th Coldest
Mean By Month October 2019: 58.4 18th Warmest November 2019: 38.8 12th Coldest December 2019: 37.4 18th Warmest January 2020: 36.7 13th Warmest February 2020: 33.6 38th Warmest March 2020: 46.5 13th Warmest April 2020: 49.2 23rd Coldest
The 2019-2020 winter months were full of extremes, and most months ended up in either the top 20 coldest or warmest ever recorded.
Precipitation By Month October 2019: 4.05″ 19th Wettest November 2019: 1.48″ 24th Driest December 2019: 2.76″ 62nd Wettest January 2020: 4.37″ 25th Wettest February 2020: 2.56″ 54th Wettest March 2020: 8.16″ 2nd Wettest April 2020: 4.22″ 32nd Wettest
Snowfall By Month October 2019: Trace 2nd Least Snowiest November 2019: 2.8″ 22nd Snowiest December 2019: 2.3″ 23rd Least Snowiest January 2020: 0.3″ 3rd Least Snowiest February 2020: 5.7″ 47th Snowiest March 2020: 0.6″ 5th Least Snowiest April 2020: Trace 2nd Least Snowiest
As with temperature, precipitation and snowfall varied wildly as well, but generally most months were wetter than normal and less snowy than normal.
Average Snow Depth By Month October 2019: 0.0″ November 2019: 0.2″ December 2019: 0.1″ January 2020: Trace February 2020: 0.2″ March 2020: Trace April 2020: 0.0″
Maximum High By Month October: 94 on the 1st and 2nd November: 59 on the 27th December: 62 on the 27th January: 71 on the 11th February: 63 on the 3rd March: 76 on the 28th April: 77 on the 7th
Maximum High Records -The 94 on October 1st was a record for the date, beating the old record of 89 set in 1952. This is also the warmest October temperature ever recorded, beating the old October record of 91 set in 2007. -The 94 on October 2nd was a record for the date, beating the old record of 88 set in 1919. This also ties for the warmest October temperature ever, set on October 1st, 2019, the previous day. -The 93 on October 3rd was a record for the date, beating the old record of 89 set in 1898 and 1953. -The 71 on January 11th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 66 set in 1886 and 1890. -The 63 on February 3rd tied the old record set in 1890.
Minimum High By Month October: 55 on the 12th November: 28 on the 12th and 13th December: 29 on the 18th January: 28 on the 20th February: 24 on the 14th March: 38 on the 21st April: 45 on the 10th
Minimum High Records -The 28 on the 12th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 30 set in 1920.
Maximum Low By Month October: 68 on the 2nd November: 39 on the 21st and 27th December: 47 on the 9th and 29th January: 53 on the 11th February: 39 on the 25th March: 55 on the 29th April: 53 on the 8th
Maximum Low Records -The 45 on January 10th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 43 set in 1960.
Minimum Low By Month October: 35 on the 31st November: 11 on the 13th December: 13 on the 19th January: 12 on the 20th February: 13 on the 15th and 21st March: 19 on the 1st April: 26 on the 16th
Minimum Low Records -The 15 on November 12th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 16 set in 1911. -The 11 on November 13th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 14 set in 1911.
Highest Daily Precipitation By Month October: 1.51″ on the 31st November: 0.33″ on the 27th December: 1.20″ on the 29th January: 1.13″ on the 18th February: 0.57″ on the 12th March: 2.89″ on the 20th April: 0.66″ on the 7th
Precipitation Records -The 1.51″ on October 31st was a record for the date, beating the old record of 1.44″ set in 1932. -The 1.20″ on December 29th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 1.13″ set in 1915. -The 1.13″ on January 18th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 0.79″ set in 1927. -The 1.31″ on March 4th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 0.74″ set in 1951. -The 2.89″ that fell on March 20th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 1.60″ set in 1984.
Highest Daily Snowfall By Month October: Trace on the 31st November: 2.1″ on the 12th December: 1.5″ on the 15th January: 0.2″ on the 25th February: 1.8″ on the 8th March: 0.6″ on the 14th April: Trace on the 15th and 17th
Snowfall Records -The 2.1″ on November 11th was a record for the date, beating the old record of 0.5″ set in 1983.
Deepest Snow Depth By Month October: 0″ November: 3″ on the 12th December: 2″ on the 16th January: Trace on the 19th and 20th February: 2″ on the 29th March: Trace on the 15th April: 0″
