Residents across Columbus, Cincinnati, Wilmington, and parts of Indiana and Kentucky woke up to thick fog this morning, prompting the National Weather Service Wilmington to issue a Dense Fog Advisory until 10 AM. Visibility was significantly reduced along and east of I-71, making morning travels trickier than usual. According to an official statement by the NWS, this is due to weak low-level flow, a stalled front, and abundant low moisture.
The fog is expected to lift by mid-morning, but the break will be brief as another system is forecast to swiftly bring in rains and potentially the season's first snowfall by tonight into Sunday. Highs today before the front will hover from the lower 50s in the north to the lower 60s in the south. Come tonight, a low tracking across central Ohio is predicted to spread widespread rain across the region, and by Sunday, Rain will likely mix with and chance of snow across the north before diminishing, according to National Weather Service forecasts.
Looking ahead into the long term, it seems winter is ready to make an early entrance, as a mid-level low is expected to sweep into the region, bringing very cold temperatures and snow showers through Monday. NWS warns that though minor accumulations are possible Sunday night, the main concern will be blow-freezing temperatures through Tuesday, with wind chill factors making it feel like it's in the 20s during the day and even colder at night.
For travelers and commuters, the coming days will see a mixed bag of weather-related challenges. NWS advises extra caution, particularly as rain is expected to move into the region late tonight ahead of an approaching low-pressure system. With the prospect of MVFR ceilings and visibilities likely late Saturday night into Sunday, and the chance for IFR conditions, those with flight plans should be prepared for potential delays. In a statement, they added, Expect these conditions to persist through the night with improvement through mid-morning. As winter begins to make an unexpected, early debut, stay weather aware.
