This page highlights winter storms in Columbus history. As these events are widespread across the area, any accumulation totals within the Metro Area will be included. The events are listed by type and in chronological order. Links to event pages will be given if available. Otherwise, there will be short descriptions with known accumulations for the events. Some descriptions are from the Storm Events Database.
**Last Updated: 7/6/2023- Added at least a dozen new events to the 2010-2019 period, along with new videos and links.
2020-2029
December 22-23, 2022
A very strong low pressure system and trailing cold front moving northeast through Ohio arrived late on the 22nd. Temperatures dropped 40-50 degrees in a few hours, and rain turned to heavy snow as the cold front passed. Along with the snow, a tight pressure gradient caused winds to ramp up into to more than 30MPH, with much higher gusts. By the morning of 23rd, 4″-5″ of snow had fallen. The temperature fell to -7 in Columbus, and wind chills dropped to more than 35 degrees below zero as winds remained strong all day. The snow total at the airport was 4.9″, the 2nd highest total ever for the 23rd.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20221223
February 3-4, 2022
A major winter storm was predicted for several days prior to the event. A Winter Storm Watch was issued on January 31st, calling for 4-6″ of snow across the metro area. Additionally, up to 0.4″ of ice was predicted. The following day, February 1st, the watch was upgraded to a warning for Columbus, with predictions of 4″-7″ and 0.4″ of ice. The day of the storm, a strong cold font moved very slowly west to east across the state. Behind the front, rain gradually changed to a mix of snow and ice. However, the changeover was intermittent as pockets of warmer air aloft kept the precipitation from fully becoming snow. For several hours, the area was bombarded with heavy sleet as the warm pocket refused to budge. Finally, late on the 3rd, the sleet finally changed over to snow, which lasted into the early afternoon of the 4th. Accumulations ranged from 3″-6″ across the city, with 4.5″ at the airport for the 2 days.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20220204
January 16-17, 2022
A low pressure system moved northeast up the Appalachians, bringing heavy snow along the Rt. 23 corridor and parts east. Most areas in Franklin County had 3″-5″ as they were on the western edge of the heaviest snow, but not far to the east, some Columbus Metro communities had up to 8″.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20220117
April 20-21, 2021
A late-winter cold low moved northeast through the Ohio Valley, bringing several hours of snow during the evening and morning of the 20th and 21st. Snow totals ranged from 2″-5″ across Columbus and was one of the largest April snow events in several years.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20210421
February 15-16, 2021
For several days, a low pressure system was predicted to move from the Gulf up through West Virginia in 2 separate waves, with the second wave being the most significant. With very cold air in place, the setup called for large amounts of snow. Just 1 day before the event, up to 8″ with some spots approaching 12″ was the general call for Central Ohio and parts west. As the hours ticked by, however, models suddenly began to show a push of warm air aloft, and showing much more of a mix up to the I-71 corridor.
The first wave moved through the region during the early morning hours of the 15th, bringing an inch or so to most areas. The second wave began hitting during the afternoon, but almost immediately, the heavy snow totals were in doubt. Instead of heavy snow, most areas along and south of I-70 turned to heavy sleet. As the day went, the sleet reached nearly to Cleveland, and no area but the far west and northwestern sections of the state stayed all or mostly snow. Later in the evening, the sleet finally changed to snow, and some places managed to pick up a few inches as it moved out. While the storm was still somewhat significant for the state because of the ice, it was one of the largest snow forecast busts in many years for most areas. Columbus, although originally predicted to get anywhere from 6″-12″, only had about 2″, while 50 miles west saw 6″-11″.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20210215_WinterStorm
February 10-11, 2021
A quick-moving jet streak helped induce precipitation to break out across the area. Light snow began on the 10th and continued through the 11th, bringing 1-3″ across the area.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20210210
February 8-9, 2021
A weak trough of low pressure moved across the area. A swath of heavy snow moved through with it, centered along and south of I-71 from Cincinnati through far southern Franklin County. Although predictions were for 2-4″ across the area, the snow ended up heavier and lasting longer than forecast, so totals ranged from just over an inch around Dublin to 6″ around Canal Winchester and up to 9″ in southern parts of the metro area.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20210209
January 30-February 2, 2021
A low pressure system moved into southern Illinois and tracked slowly east through extreme southern Ohio before transferring energy to a secondary low forming along the East Coast. Snow began falling late on January 30th, becoming heavy very quickly. In just a few hours, much of the area had seen 2″-4″ of snow. During the early morning of February 1st, the snow transitioned over to a cold rain for several hours, compacting the snow from the first wave. The rain then changed back over to snow as the low moved east during the evening of the 31st. This wraparound steady snow continued all day and night on February 1st before finally ending early on the 2nd. Due to the duration, the second wave of snow was more significant than the first in many areas, with the Rt 23 corridor from Delaware down through Columbus and Circleville seeing steady bands throughout the day and night. These bands dropped anywhere from 2″-6″. Overall totals from the storm were generally 5″-10″ in Central Ohio, depending on location.
To see local totals, follow this link. Unfortunately, it only includes totals from the initial wave and not from the long-duration wraparound. https://www.weather.gov/iln/20210130
December 24-25, 2020
A cold front brought widespread precipitation that gradually changed to snow on Christmas Eve. As the front moved east of the area, a wave of low pressure moved north along the front, causing its eastward movement to stall. This produced prolonged heavy snow for the Rt 23 corridor and points east that lasted into early Christmas morning. This was the heaviest Christmas Eve snowstorm on record for Columbus, with 3.4″ falling on the 24th and 3.6″ falling overall during the storm. Columbus just missed much higher totals, as just a few miles east, 6″ or more fell. See area snow totals here: https://www.weather.gov/iln/20201225
https://allcolumbusdata.com/snowiest-christmas-eve-in-columbus-history/
November 30-December 1, 2020
Steady rain changed to a wet snow during the evening of November 30th and continued through the morning of December 1st as a low pressure passed to the southeast. Snow totals ranged from 2″-5″ across most of Central Ohio. Here is a full list of snow totals across the area: https://www.weather.gov/iln/20201130
February 12, 2020
In one of the largest events of an otherwise warm, snowless winter, an east-moving system brought heavy rain south of I-70 and heavy snow north of it, with rates of up to 1″ per hour at times. The system moved through quickly, so totals were still somewhat low, despite the heavy rates. The airport officially received 1.3″ on the 12th, but 2″-4″ fell just to the north.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20200212
2010-2019
November 11-12, 2019
An early season storm brought rain changing to snow, leaving 1-4″ across the area. 2.8″ occurred at John Glenn International, which was a record amount for the date.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20191112
March 3, 2019
1-3″ across the northern part of the metro. See details here: https://www.weather.gov/iln/20190303
February 20, 2019
A surfaced low moved from the Plains northeast into the Ohio Valley, bringing with it a mixed-bag of precipitation, with the ice-snow dividing line set up in the typical location of I-75/I-70. Heavy snow fell north of the line with light ice and heavy rain to the south. See details here: https://www.weather.gov/iln/20190220
February 10, 2019
A weak system brought 2″-3″ across the Columbus area, with 2.3″ at the airport.
February 1, 2019
A system brought rain changing to snow, bringing widespread 3-6″ amounts across the metro area. 4.2″ fell at the airport, making this the largest snowstorm of the 2018-19 winter. https://www.weather.gov/iln/20190201
January 19-20, 2019
A strong low pressure in the Tennessee Valley brought 3-6″ through the metro area. 3.6″ fell at the airport.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20190119
January 12-13, 2019
A strong, but quickly weakening clipper system brought heavy snow along and south of I-70. 4.1″ fell at the airport, making it the 2nd largest snowstorm of the winter. https://www.weather.gov/iln/20190112
November 15, 2018
An early season ice storm brought up to a quarter-inch of ice accumulations into the metro area, causing minor damage to trees and power lines. https://www.weather.gov/iln/20181115
March 21, 2018
A low brought light accumulations through the area. https://www.weather.gov/iln/20180321
March 8, 2018
Snow squalls affected the area. https://www.weather.gov/iln/20180308
February 7, 2018
A low pressure brought 3-5″ of snow to the north and more than a quarter inch of ice to the south of the region. See details here: https://www.weather.gov/iln/20180207
January 15-16, 2018
A 2-part snow event brought general light to moderate accumulations to the region. https://www.weather.gov/iln/20180115
January 12-13, 2018
A low moving northeast through the Virginias brought heavy snow along and east of I-71. Totals reached 3″-6″ across the area. https://www.weather.gov/iln/20180112
December 29-30, 2017
A clipper system tracked through southern Ohio late in the day of the 29th. The highest snowfall totals were located along the I-70 corridor and south of Columbus, with a general 3″-5″. The airport received 3.8″ over the 2 days.
December 24, 2017
An upper level shortwave crossed through the region and brought significantly colder air to the Ohio Valley, along with 1 to 3 inches of snow northwest of the I-71 corridor. This brought the first White Christmas to Columbus since 2010.
December 16-17, 2016
A surface low pressure system tracked northeast through the Ohio Valley, on Friday December 16th. The region had been in a cold snap in which temperatures in the single digits were observed for several overnight periods, and daytime highs remained below freezing. When rain overspread the region Friday night, it froze on contact. The ice storm brought up to 0.3″ of ice across Columbus, producing scattered power outages.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20161217
December 13, 2016
A mesoscale band of snow bringing 5 inches of snow or more fell in a very narrow band from northern Butler and Warren Counties, through southern and eastern Montgomery County, into western Greene County. Elsewhere, a swath of 3 inches of snow fell along the I-70 corridor and along the I-71 corridor northeast of Cincinnati. 2″-5″ fell across Franklin County.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20161213
February 8-9, 2016
An upper level low pressure system centered in northwest Ohio saw disturbances rotate through it in the afternoon of Monday, February 8th. Snow showers in the region saw some accumulations in the afternoon and evening. Rain and snow mixed in the lower Scioto Valley had a changeover in the evening. A narrow band of moderate to heavy snow set up overnight along route 22 between Cincinnati and Lancaster, producing notably higher snowfall amounts. Columbus received 1″-3″ with this storm- 2.7″ at the airport- with the heaviest snow south of I-70. Parts of the southern metro area had 5″-7″.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20160208
January 12, 2016
An arctic cold front passed east through the region with strong winds and snow squalls that produced accumulating snowfall. Most areas around Columbus saw 2″-4″ of snow with the system, along with strong winds that gusted to more than 40MPH. Wind chills were well below zero.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20160112
February 28-March 1, 2015
A warm front lifted northeast through the region during the early morning hours. Heavy snow fell north of a Dayton to Columbus line with a mix of rain and snow significantly cutting totals along and southeast of the I-71 corridor. The Columbus area picked up 3″-5″, most of it falling during the morning on the 1st.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20150301
February 21, 2015
Southerly flow behind a departing arctic front pulled a significant amount of moisture over the Ohio Valley Friday night, February 20th into Saturday the 21st. As the low level jet encountered a mid level disturbance, snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour were noted over much of the region. Snowfall totals across the region were fairly consistent, with most areas seeing 4″-7″. The 6.8″ at the Columbus airport was the largest event of the season.
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20150221
November 17, 2014
**Coming Soon**
February 15-16, 2010
The 3rd and largest snowstorm of the month, this storm was produced rare double-digit snowfall for Columbus, and capped off one of the snowiest 10-day periods in history.
**Details coming soon**
February 9-10, 2010
The 2nd in the series of 4 snowstorms for the month.
https://allcolumbusdata.com/february-9-10-2010-snowstorm/
February 5-6, 2010
This event was the first in 4 separate snowstorms that hit Columbus during the month of February, 2010, causing the month to have the 2nd highest snow total of any month in history. Follow the link for the history of this storm.
https://allcolumbusdata.com/columbus-snowstorm-of-february-5-6-2010/
January 7, 2010
**Coming Soon**
2000-2009
March 7-8, 2008
Columbus’ biggest single snowstorm of all time began around 9AM on the 7th and continued through the late afternoon on the 8th as a low pressure system ran up the spine of the Appalachians. At the airport, a record 5″ fell on the 7th and a record 15.5″ fell on the 8th, the highest for any single day on record. The total of 20.5″ is the most snow for any storm on record, beating February 14-17, 2003’s 15.3″. In addition, strong winds brought brief blizzard warnings across the area, drifting the snow several feet against buildings.
More information on this event can be found in the following links:
https://allcolumbusdata.com/2016/03/06/march-7-8-2008-columbus-greatest-snowstorm/
https://www.weather.gov/iln/20080308
December 5-6, 2007
This overperforming clipper system beat snow expectations and brought with it near record early December cold.
https://allcolumbusdata.com/columbus-ohio-2007-winter-storm/
January 22, 2000
A clipper system moving southeast brought 1-4″ through the Columbus area.
January 19-20, 2000: A strong clipper system dropped east-southeast through southern Indiana into Kentucky, bringing heavy snow along and south of I-70. 4-6″ was common through the Columbus area. See details here: https://www.weather.gov/iln/20000120
1990-1999
January 2-3, 1999
A major winter storm moved east-northeast from the Plains, hitting parts of Ohio and the Great Lakes with 1-2 feet of snow and blizzard conditions. In Columbus, the storm brought a much bigger mixed-bag of wintry precipitation. Follow the link for the full story.
https://allcolumbusdata.com/january-2-3-1999-snow-and-ice-storm/
January 24, 1997: Rain pushed into Central and Southern Ohio during the morning hours. Temperatures were at or just below freezing as the rain fell, so the rain turned to ice as it hit the ground and accumulated up to a quarter inch in some areas. Numerous accidents were reported throughout the area as roadways became icy just as the morning rush hour commenced.
January 6-7, 1996: Ohio was on the fringes of the Blizzard of 1996, which developed along the Gulf Coast and moved up the Atlantic Seaboard. Although this storm was supposed to miss all but far southern Ohio and produce little more than an inch or 2 for the Columbus area, that didn’t happen. An upper low in the Ohio Valley helped to pump moisture back into the state, causing heavy snow from the night of the 6th through the 7th. Totals across Central and Southern parts of the state were generally 6-12″, including 9″ at the Columbus airport, though totals approaching 20″ occurred near the Ohio River. Strong wind gusts of 30-50 MPH during the storm caused blizzard conditions at times. This was generally considered the worst winter storm since the Blizzard of 1978.
While the video is focused on the Northeast, it does show how Ohio was affected too.
For more on this storm: https://allcolumbusdata.com/columbus-blizzard-of-1996/
January 2-3, 1996
Low pressure in the Tennessee valley passed southeast of Ohio, bringing snow along and north of I-70. 4″-7″ was common through Central Ohio, with about 5″ at Port Columbus.
1980-1989
Friday, January 4, 1985
Light freezing rain fell over the southern half of Ohio during the morning hours. Port Columbus officially only recorded a trace of precipitation, but around the city, ice accumulated on bridges and overpasses enough to cause reports of accidents every 3-4 minutes during the morning rush hour. At least 1 person was killed in a 3-car accident on I-71.
1970-1979
January 26, 1978: The Great Blizzard of ’78
**Coming Soon**
1960-1969
1950-1959
January 31-February 1, 1951
Just a few days after the ice storm of January 28th, the second largest storm of the 1950-1951 winter (after the November blizzard) struck during the afternoon of Thursday, January 31st and went into the evening of Friday, February 1st. The storm came as somewhat of a surprise to residents, as forecasts on January 30th had just called for continued cold with snow flurries. By the following morning, however, 4″-8″ was forecast for a large part of Ohio. The storm began as sleet during the evening before changing to snow overnight. By morning, 4″-6″ had fallen, with occasional snow for much of February 1st. In total, Columbus officially recorded 6.6″, though some parts of the area had 8″ or more. All schools were closed during the event, and many stayed closed into the following Monday, as the storm was followed by extremely cold temperatures. Lows on the 2nd fell to -13 at Columbus, and reached -20 in suburban and rural areas.
Headlines for the January-February snowstorm of 1951.
January 28, 1951
An ice storm struck the area during the morning and early afternoon hours of Monday, causing up to 300 injuries from car accidents and slips and falls on the ice-covered sidewalks and streets. Although not as severe as the ice storm that had occurred one year prior, the few tenths of ice accumulation on most surfaces was more than enough to cancel many events across the area. Columbus schools did no cancel, but many suburban districts with many more rural roads did. Columbus work crews used up to 400 tons of salt, calcium and sand on city streets during the event.
Great Thanksgiving Blizzard: November 23-29, 1950
This enormous and unusually long-duration storm was one of the worst snowstorms in Ohio history, dropping 10″ or more across almost all of the state, and in in some places more than 3 feet. It would stand as Columbus’ largest single snowstorm for 53 years.
https://allcolumbusdata.com/the-great-thanksgiving-blizzard-of-1950/
January 4-6, 1950
Rainy conditions that had prevailed since New Year’s Day culminated in an ice storm that was called the “worst in many years”. Rain turned to ice on the evening of Wednesday, January 4th and continued at times through the morning of Friday, January 6th. The worst conditions occurred on the 5th. Roads remained largely only wet, but trees, power lines and exposed surfaces had up to a quarter inch of ice. Trolleys struggled as the ice accumulated on their lines, causing constant power losses. When trolleys managed to run, contact with the lines caused them to spark in brilliant blue flashes, lighting up the sky “like a grand display of Northern Lights”. Tree limbs came down across the area, and power outages were common.
1940-1949
1930-1939
1920-1929
1910-1919
Great Lakes Hurricane: November 9-11, 1913
This massive early-season storm caused chaos across the lower Great Lakes, sinking numerous ships and creating significant blizzard conditions throughout Ohio. For the full story, visit
https://allcolumbusdata.com/great-lakes-hurricane-of-1913/
January 6-7, 1910
One of the largest winter storms to ever impact Columbus moved in from the Southwest and Texas area. It began hitting the area at around 10pm on Wednesday, January 5th as sleet that changed to rain and then back to sleet. As colder air filtered in, the mix changed to very heavy, powdery snow early on Thursday morning, and by 7am had accumulated up to 10″ across the city. Snow lightened throughout the day, but continued into the early hours of Friday before ending. The final city total of 12.7″ remains a top 10 event. The 11.9″ that fell on Thursday alone remains the 3rd highest daily total ever.
Streetcar travel was “crippled” on many lines, and roads and sidewalks were impassable. Snowplows with men and wagons were able to clear a single lane in the middle of some streets to allow wagons and pedestrians to get through.
Almost all trains at Union Station were hours late as many areas and states around Ohio were also hit by the heavy snow.
1900-1909
1890-1899
1880-1889
1878-1879
January 23-24, 1873
A significant snowstorm affected a large area of the central and eastern United States, bringing heavy snow and winds from Kansas City northeast to Toronto. Snow reached the Columbus area and stuck around until early on the 24th. While local totals are unknown, delays in train arrivals and departures were reported due to the severe conditions locally and regionally.
All other weather records for the local area are located at the Weather History page.
