The National Weather Service (NWS) predicts widespread rain as a result of a moving storm system, so Ohioans can expect a shift from calm skies to a wetter environment.
According to the most recent forecast discussion, residents in Columbus, Cincinnati, Wilmington, and the surrounding areas will have one more day of dry weather thanks to high pressure south of the region before precipitation arrives.
Today’s forecast calls for dry conditions with sporadic gusts of southwestern wind, as well as a warming trend that could push temperatures into the low to mid-50s, the result of the surface ridge near the Appalachians, which is currently the dominant climate influencer.
However, by tonight, a weakened storm system, once a closed mid-level low over northeast Oklahoma, will have laid down a blanket of rain that will last until Monday midday, limiting Sunday’s sunshine in anticipation of rain that could total between one-half and three-quarters of an inch in liquid depth.
Following this system, the area expects a continued wet spell until Tuesday, when the cold front passes through, bringing the chance of rain, albeit with spotty distribution.
The landscape will be steeped in the mistiness of the day’s dawn, and sheets of rain are expected, according to the National Weather Service forecast. Temperature profiles will be mild with little flux, with highs in the 50s and overnight lows in the 40s.
Overcast skies, episodic rainfall, and a potential nosedive into snowy confetti after Tuesday as a cold snap takes hold are all part of the upcoming days.
These elements are reflected in the persisting complexities of a west-southwest 500mb flow pattern and an amplifying upstream trough, a broader synoptic story that National Weather Service forecasters have meticulously narrated.
The shift to colder conditions is so dramatic that many parts of the ILN County Warning Area may struggle to emerge from mostly sub-freezing icy grips, with northern stretches of the region likely in the lower to mid-20s. This arresting cold serves as a reminder to dress warmly and drive cautiously.
Air travel is also expected to be disrupted; aviation forecasts indicate a shift from VFR to IFR and possibly LIFR conditions as rain clouds move in from the southwest after 04Z, reducing visibility.
Pilots may continue to navigate through pockets of IFR ceilings and MVFR to IFR visibilities as the workweek progresses, a testament to the atmospheric tumult caused by this advancing December weather front.
