Columbus, OH – A colder and more active winter pattern is setting up across Ohio from Nov. 29th through Dec. 5th, bringing the strongest chance so far this season for accumulating snow, especially in northern parts of the state.
According to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, temperatures are expected to run below normal statewide, including the Columbus metro, the Miami Valley, northwest Ohio, and all counties along Lake Erie. Overnight lows dipping into the 20s across central and northern Ohio will support snow whenever moisture moves through.
NOAA’s precipitation outlook also highlights an above-normal precipitation signal, suggesting several systems may cross the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley during the first week of December. Columbus is likely to see rain changing to snow, with minor accumulations possible depending on timing.
Northern Ohio — including Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Toledo, and the I-80 corridor — holds the highest potential for accumulating snow, especially early in the week when colder air deepens. Lake-effect snow may also develop northeast of Cleveland, adding to totals in Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula counties.
Western and southwest Ohio — including Dayton, Cincinnati, Lima, and Springfield — are more likely to begin with rainfall before colder air transitions precipitation to flurries or light snow.
Forecasters emphasize that this is not one major winter storm, but rather a series of disturbances capable of producing slick roads, reduced visibility, and accumulating snowfall during commutes statewide, especially north of U.S. 30.
As December begins, Ohio residents should prepare for a noticeable shift toward colder, more winter-like conditions.
