We know the question on your mind, Columbusites — when’s it going to get cold? Thanks to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center, we know what temperatures and precipitation trends to expect in our city for December, January, and February. While exact weather conditions typically can’t be predicted more than a week in advance, here’s a seasonal outlook to help you prepare for what winter will bring.
Reminder: The first day of winter is on Wednesday, Dec. 21.
Expect more snow + rain than normal this year, according to this map. | Map via NOAA
🌡 Temperature
Our city is predicted to experience typical winter temperatures for the area.
☁️ Precipitation
Expect snow + rain. Columbus has a 40-50% chance of seeing above average snow and rainfall amounts this winter.
🌧 Diving into December
December is our first introduction to the winter season with average temperatures ranging as high as 39.2° and as low as 29.3°. Midway through this month, temperatures have been chilly with mostly rainfall — not snowfall — which is on average with our historic data of 11.6 rainy days per December.
🧊 Jumping into January
Get ready to bundle up, CBUS — the historic data shows January is the coldest month, with average low temperatures at 21.6°. This is also the month with the least amount of sunlight, averaging just 3.5 hours of sunshine per day, so we recommend a local cup of coffee to stay warm + awake.
❄️ Falling for February
February is the month for falling in love — and the month for snowfall. According to weather data, February is when we see the most snow with an average of 10.4 snowy days per month. With experts predicting an uptick in snowfall, we recommend grabbing a snow shovel before they sell out like last year.
