Ohio Valley – A powerful cold front will bring a rapid and dangerous weather shift across Ohio, Indiana, and northern Kentucky from Sunday into Monday, featuring a dramatic temperature drop and strong, potentially damaging winds.
According to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio, temperatures across the Ohio Valley will fall 35 to 40 degrees in roughly 12 hours. Highs Sunday are expected to reach the upper 50s to mid-60s, before plunging behind the cold front Sunday evening. By Monday, highs will only reach the upper 20s to lower 30s across much of the region.
Strong winds will accompany the front in three distinct phases.
- Sunday afternoon: Widespread gusts of 20–30 mph ahead of the front
- Sunday evening (7–11 p.m.): Isolated stronger or damaging gusts as the front passes
- Sunday night into Monday: Widespread gusts increasing to 40–50 mph, especially along and north of the I-70 corridor
These winds may lead to downed tree limbs, isolated power outages, and difficult travel, particularly for high-profile vehicles on east–west roadways across central and western Ohio, eastern Indiana, and northern Kentucky.
The sharp temperature drop increases the risk of rapid refreezing of wet surfaces late Sunday night, which could create slick spots for the Monday morning commute, even where no winter precipitation falls.
The timing places the highest impact window from Sunday evening through Monday afternoon, affecting overnight travelers, early commuters, students, and outdoor workers across the Ohio Valley.
Residents are urged to secure outdoor items, prepare for cold conditions, and closely monitor updated forecasts as the system moves through.
