Columbus and Cincinnati residents, brace yourselves for an extended period of biting cold. The National Weather Service in Wilmington announced persistent chilly conditions sweeping through the region. With lows hitting the single digits and highs struggling to climb out of the teens to mid-20s, "Bitterly cold temperatures continue through this morning," as per the early update from the National Weather Service.
But it's not just the cold; a veritable cocktail of wintry conditions is on its way. Mid-week forecasts predict a mix of rain and snow, depending on your exact locale, with gusty winds reaching upwards of 40 mph. "Ahead of the cold front, a strong southerly low level jet of 55-60 KT develops Tuesday night," the NWS report stated, indicating that a burst of strong winds is as certain as the cold is unforgiving.
Looking towards the weekend, an additional cold snap is expected to plunge temperatures to around 20 degrees below normal. The culprit? A vast blanket of Canadian high pressure presses its presence into the Great Lakes region, introducing frigid air from our northern neighbor. "This polar air mass will be responsible for temperatures falling to around 20 degrees below normal," detailed the NWS discussion.
On a potentially snowy horizon, there's talk of a weekend storm system skirting south of Ohio, though it's laced with uncertainty. "The big question for our area remains to be how far north, this moisture can be transported into the Ohio Valley / how suppressing the Canadian high pressure will be," according to the NWS official forecast. Accumulating snow is a possibility, particularly for the northern Kentucky and southern Ohio counties, though confidence in specifics remains just shy of certain.
Aviation interests take note: VFR conditions will reign with shifting winds and potential MVFR conditions by Wednesday afternoon as the next system rolls in, complete with a 55-60 kt low-level jet. This weather rigmarole plays into advisories and outlooks, with the NWS issuing a "Cold Weather Advisory" effective until this morning for parts of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. So mind the skies, the roads, and the layers you don because winter, it seems, is far from through with us yet.
