Residents of Columbus, Cincinnati, and surrounding areas should brace for a chill as the National Weather Service forecasts below-normal temperatures and light snow possibilities for the upcoming weekend. According to the NWS discussion, today's cloudy skies might yield a few flurries, with dry conditions briefly returning on Saturday before the chance for light snow resurfaces Saturday night along and south of the Ohio River.
The near-term prediction, mired in a weak cyclonic flow over the Great Lakes, suggests a persistence of cloud cover throughout the day with the occasional flurries. Expected daytime highs will languish from the upper 20s in the northwest to the mid-30s in the southeast, indicative of a weather pattern that resists concession to seasonable warmth. Come the evening and into Saturday, high pressure traversing the Tennessee Valley is predicted to usher in primarily clear conditions. However, an upward trend in cloudiness later in the day could signify the approach of the next system.
A weak shortwave is impacting the area Saturday night through Sunday morning, looking to incite a band of light snow, especially for southeast Indiana, southern Ohio, and northern Kentucky. "With these type of low QPF (~0.1" or less) events, any adjustments in QPF will dramatically change the snowfall amounts given the very efficient snowfall growth environment," explained the NWS. As temperatures remain below normal, wind chill values will likely make the air feel only in the single digits and teens.
As the week progresses, a subtle ridge might raise temperatures toward normalcy by midweek, but the respite seems fleeting. Another dipping trough suggests a mix of precipitation types, possible from Wednesday to Thursday, though no significant impacts are anticipated. The mercury's capricious dance, as it endeavors to reclaim normalcy in the face of another possible cooldown, continues to keep forecasters and residents on their toes alike.
For aviators, "MVFR cigs across the region should gradually lift into a VFR deck through late morning and into this afternoon," varying visibility conditions due to light snowfall could affect flights Saturday night into Sunday, according to aviation-specific forecasts from the National Weather Service.
