Columbus is waking up to mostly cloudy skies and temperatures around 64 degrees Tuesday, but the calm start is a brief prelude to one of the warmest days of the fall. Temperatures are forecast to reach around 85 degrees, with southwest winds of 7 to 13 mph and gusts up to 28 mph.
Near-Record Heat Gives Way To Storms
The warmth will be short-lived. According to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio, Tuesday’s high will run near record levels for Columbus, while Wednesday begins a much more active stretch with showers and thunderstorms arriving around late morning or midday.
Wednesday carries a 90% chance of precipitation, with possible rainfall totals between a quarter-inch and half an inch. The weather service says isolated severe storms are possible Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday evening, with damaging winds and hail the main concerns, particularly south of Interstate 70; repeated rounds of rain may also raise flooding concerns into Wednesday night.
Wet Commute Pattern Through Friday
Additional showers and storms are expected later Thursday and into Friday as a cold front moves through.
Friday will also turn noticeably windier, with west winds of 14 to 18 mph and gusts potentially topping 30 mph. A few gusts could approach 40 mph, making for a blustery finish to the workweek and potentially messy conditions for outdoor plans.
Sunny, Chilly Weekend Ahead
Once the front passes, temperatures will tumble. Saturday should be sunny with a high near 57 after an overnight low around 40, while Saturday night could dip to 35 degrees with frost possible in colder spots.
Sunday brings a sunnier rebound near 64 degrees, followed by a mostly sunny Monday with a high around 69. In other words, Columbus gets a near-summer Tuesday, a stormy middle of the week and a very October-like weekend.
