Columbus is waking up to clouds, humidity and a stormy start on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, with temperatures hovering near 66°F at John Glenn Columbus International Airport. Showers and scattered thunderstorms are likely through the day with a high near 70°F, so plan on pockets of heavy rain at times and a soggy commute. Cooler, drier air is expected to slide in on Thursday before a stronger, wetter system moves in late Friday and potentially lingers into the Memorial Day weekend.
Timing And Rain Risk
Shower activity is expected to redevelop this morning and hold on into the afternoon, with the best coverage from late morning through mid-afternoon and northwest winds around 5 to 13 mph. While many neighborhoods may only see brief, lighter showers, forecasters highlight an unusually moist air mass and the potential for localized heavy downpours, and additional rounds late Friday, May 22, could drop a swath of 1 to 2 inches of rain with locally higher amounts that bring a lower-end flooding concern.
Highs should land near 70°F on Wednesday before a cooler, mostly sunny day on Thursday, May 21, sets up a brief break. Then the next, wetter push arrives late in the week, according to the National Weather Service Wilmington.
Commute And Weekend Plans
Slick roads and brief visibility drops are possible during heavier downpours, so build in some extra time for the Wednesday, May 20, commute or errands and keep an indoor Plan B for anything outdoors. The wetter spell late Friday into Saturday could deliver the heaviest rain, followed by more widespread showers and storms Saturday and Sunday, with highs bouncing into the upper 70s to low 80s. For more context from earlier in the setup, see the May 16 storm outlook.
What To Do
Grab the rain gear, park on higher ground where you can and avoid driving through standing water. Turn around, do not drown. Keep weather alerts switched on and check updated forecasts if you have plans from Friday, May 22, through Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, 2026.
