Winter 2024-2025 Review

Posted on May 13, 2025 by admin

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%

A Look Back- Winter 1995-1996 Review

Posted on February 21, 2025 by admin

I have been doing immediate, post-winter reviews since I began this website 13 years ago. While those posts are popular, I get tons of requests and searches for winters of decades past, so I thought it might be a good idea to periodically take a look back at some of them. By far, the winter of 1995-1996 has been at the top of the list from site visitors, so it makes sense to make it the inaugural winter of this series.
Winter 1995-1996 was the most severe of the 1990s, and arguably the most severe winter between 1984-1985 and 2002-2003. The winter featured much above normal snowfall and below normal temperatures that included one arctic outbreak. This winter set multiple records that still stand today, and is regarded as one of the worst winters in Columbus- and Ohio- history.

December-February
These are the statistics for the heart of Winter 1995-1996, as well as departures from average based on the current 1991-2020 normals.
Average High: 36.9 (-2.9)
Average Low: 21.1 (-3.4)
Mean: 29.0 (-3.2)
Coldest High: 6 on February 3rd
Coldest Low: -3 on February 4th
Coldest Mean: 3 on February 3rd and 4th
# of 32 or Below Highs: 41
# of 32 or Below Lows: 73
Warmest High: 71 on February 27th
Warmest Low: 57 on January 4th
Warmest Mean: 64 on February 21st
Precipitation: 7.84″ (+0.70″)
Snowfall: 40.6″ (+18.4″)
Average Daily Snow Depth: 1.8″
Maximum Snow Depth: 12″ on January 8th
Largest Snowstorm: 9.8″ on January 6th-7th
1″+ Snowfall Events: 14
# of Measurable Precipitation Days: 45
# of Measurable Snowfall Days: 35
Highest Average Daily Wind Speed in MPH: 20 on January 27th
Highest Wind Gust in MPH: 51 on February 24th

Entire Cold Season: October-April
Average High: 47.1
Average Low: 29.1
Mean: 38.1
Precipitation: 24.14″
Snowfall: 54.1″
Average Snow Depth: 0.8″
Largest Snowstorm: 9.8″ on January 6th-7th
# of 32 or Below Highs: 46
# of 32 or Below Lows: 127
# of Measurable Precipitation Days: 92
# of Measurable Snowfall Days: 49
Highest Average Daily Wind Speed in MPH: 21.6 on March 25th
Highest Wind Gust in MPH: 58 on April 29th

Temperature

High Temperature Records Set
On December 14th, the high reached 65 degrees, tying the record for the date set in 1901.
On January 18th, the high reached 68 degrees, breaking the old record of 67 set in 1929.
On February 3, the high only reached 6 degrees, breaking the old low maximum of 12 set in 1902.
On February 27th, the high reached 71 degrees, tying the old record of 71 set in 1896.

Low Temperature Records Set
On November 9th, the low fell to 17 degrees, breaking the old record of 18 set in 1991.

Precipitation

Precipitation Records Set
On January 27th, 1.00″ of precipitation fell, breaking the old record of 0.97″ set in 1913.
On November 11th, 1.03″ of precipitation fell, breaking the old record of 0.84″ set in 1974. This record was later surpassed for the date when 1.14″ fell in 2022.
On December 19th, 0.68″ of precipitation fell, breaking the old record of 0.59″ set in 1982. This record was later surpassed for the date with 08.4″ in 2002 and later with 1.74″ in 2008.
On April 29th, 1.82″ of precipitation fell, breaking the old record of 1.37″ set in 1893. This record was later surpassed for the date when 1.88″ fell in 2021.

Snowfall

Snowfall Records Set
On November 21st, 1.9″ of snow fell, breaking the old record of 1.0″ set in 1911.
On December 19th, 4.3″ of snow fell, breaking the old record of 3.2″ set in 1948.
On January 7th, 8.8″ of snow fell, breaking the old record of 5.5″ set in 1979. This occurred during the Blizzard of 1996
On January 9th, 3.1″ of snow fell, breaking the old record of 2.7″ set in 1943.
On March 7th, 2.3″ of snow fell, tying the old record set in 1911. This record was later surpassed when 5.0″ fell in 2008.
On March 20th, 3.9″ of snow fell, breaking the old record of 3.0″ set in 1967.

Other

If you are interested in seeing original weather advisories for the entire 1995-1996 winter, the Winter 1995-1996 Weather Advisories provides them.

All Columbus Data

The Ohio Capital Supersite

Tag Archives: winter history

Winter 2024-2025 Review

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A Look Back- Winter 1995-1996 Review

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