When will it snow in Ohio? NWS history gives us a clue, see winter forecast

On By Littum

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Get your shovels and brushes ready and fine-tune the heavy equipment. Winter is approachingand with that comes the white stuff as part of winter view.

So when will Ohio see its first snow? Here’s what records from the National Weather Service tell us.

When does it start snowing in Ohio? When Cincinnati, Columbus may need the shovels

NWS records give us an indication of when to expect snow in the Buckeye State.

IN Cincinnatiwhere the NWS has records dating back to 1893, the average date of first measurable snowfall (defined as one-tenth of an inch or more) is November 29 (using data from 1981 to 2010); according to the NWS Wilmington office. The first snow of an inch or more occurs on average by December 15th.

But we all know Ohio weather is fickle and winter can come early or late, depending on the year. According to the NWS, the earliest measurable snowfall in Cincinnati occurred on October 19, 1989, when 5 inches fell. Conversely, the winter of 1982-83 held back. The first measurable snow that season fell on January 12, 1983 (one-tenth of an inch), making this date the most recent first snow on record.

IN Columbuswinter snow tends to come a little earlier, according to NWS records (which date to 1885 for that city). On average, Ohio’s capital sees its first measurable snow on Nov. 20, according to the NWS Wilmington office, and gets an inch or more starting on Dec. 12. The earliest measurable snow came on October 10, 1906, when one-tenth of an inch fell. And the most recent snow of the season came when an inch fell on January 10, 2016.

Travel a little further north to Akron-Canton area, and winter comes even earlier. The first measurable snowfall usually comes on November 9, according to a tweet from NWS Cleveland on X. The earliest snowfall in the region came on 2 October 1947, according to data from NWS Clevelandwhile the most recent first snow of the season came on 25 December 2001.

What is the NOAA forecast for Ohio this winter?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration sees a slowly developing La Niña bringing a chance for warmer and wetter than normal conditions to the Buckeye State this winter, according to the NOAA US Winter Outlook recently issued by the Climate Prediction Center.

According to the forecast, La Niña will improve or end the drought in the Great Lakes and Ohio River Valley regions. According to NOAA’s map, most of the state has a 33% to 40% chance of seeing above-average precipitation from December through February. NOAA gives Northwest Ohio better odds on a wetter winter, putting its chances between 40% and 50%.

Temperature-wise, NOAA gives Ohio a 33% to 40% chance of a warmer-than-average winter, according to the agency’s temperature map. NOAA is predicting warmer than average temperatures from the southern United States to the eastern Great Lakes, East Coast and New England.

During a La Niña (which means “little girl” in Spanish), unusually strong trade winds push warmer-than-normal waters in the Pacific Ocean toward Asia, according to NOAA. This causes cold water to appear off the coast of America, which in turn pushes the jet stream north. This movement tends to bring drought to the southern United States and heavy rains and flooding to the Pacific Northwest and Canada.