Columbus, OH – Dim morning light settles across central Ohio as fog clings to fields and glazes windshields with a muted shine. The damp, cool air hangs low above the Scioto River while steady traffic builds ahead of one of the busiest Thanksgiving travel periods of the season. Slower pockets already develop on I-70, I-71, and I-270 as visibility pulses and pavement darkens.

According to the National Weather Service Wilmington office, rain forms later this afternoon and expands through the evening. Patchy fog lingers into midday, and light winds keep moisture trapped near the surface. Forecasters expect totals between one-tenth and a quarter inch—enough to slow regional travel and reduce traction as Thanksgiving trips begin in earnest. Drivers should allow added time on feeder routes between Grove City, Dublin, and Westerville where the fog thickens first.

According to meteorologists, clouds decrease Saturday as a lighter north wind develops. Temperatures settle into the upper 40s before rebounding into the mid-50s Sunday under bright, stable sunshine. That clear stretch offers an ideal window for errands, early decorating, or longer drives before a more unsettled pattern returns next week. Still, the warm-to-cool cycle signals an early “Winter Tease,” aligning with national trends that hint at sharper cold advancing eastward.

Long-range guidance shows a stronger winter push expanding from the Rockies and Plains between November 25 and December 3. Several northern states may face heavy snow potential—3 to 15 inches in favored belts—as Thanksgiving week unfolds. While Columbus stays rain-dominant, anyone flying through northern hubs or driving long-distance should monitor travel impacts that may ripple nationwide.

For now, central Ohio moves from fog to rain today, then turns brighter Saturday and Sunday before colder, wetter changes arrive early next week.

Five-Day Forecast for Columbus, OH:

Fri: 53/41 – Fog early; rain late; slower I-70/I-71 travel.
Sat: 50/32 – Clouds decreasing; cooler north breeze.
Sun: 55/34 – Sunny; mild and calm.
Mon: 57/47 – Partly sunny; pleasant travel.
Tue: 61/45 – Rain likely; breezy; early Thanksgiving pattern shift.