Climate Summary
It is hard to believe, but after the 8th wettest June-July on record for Ohio (1895-2025), we have dry conditions rapidly emerging across southern Ohio. At the same time, despite the earlier season deluge across the south, parts of northwest and east central Ohio have been dry for a while. The lack of rainfall statewide led to the introduction of D0-abnormally dry conditions on the U.S. Drought Monitor earlier this month, and current trends would suggest an expansion of these depictions are likely in the coming weeks. Locations such as southern Mercer, Richland, and western Cuyahoga Counties have received above average precipitation, with over 5 inches of rain since July 25, 2025 (Figure 1). However, counties in the south have received less than 0.5 inch over the latest 30-day period, representing less than 15% of normal precipitation. All the while, temperatures have been 2-4°F above normal. For the latest up-to-date conditions, seasonal outlooks, and monthly climate summaries, please visit the State Climate Office of Ohio.
Weather Forecast
This past weekend brought a strong cold front across the region, bringing much cooler and drier air into Ohio. This fair weather is expected to stick around throughout the week and Labor Day weekend. Daily high temperatures will generally be in the upper 60s to mid 70s, with overnight lows in the 40s and 50s. A few record lows are possible across northern and central Ohio. Cool air moving across the warm Great Lakes will bring the chance for a few isolated showers and storms each day, primarily affecting northern Ohio. This will likely kick off a few waterspouts across Lake Erie as well. While the cooler air is a gift for late August, the lack of widespread rainfall will continue. The National Weather Service is currently forecasting less than 0.1 inch for most of Ohio, with up to 0.5 inch in spots across the north.
The 8-14 day outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for the period of September 2 - 5 and the 16-Day Rainfall Outlook from NOAA/NWS/Ohio River Forecast Center show near normal temperatures are favored with a slightly increased probability of above normal precipitation (Figure 3). Climatological normals for this period include a high-temperature range of 79-83°F, a low-temperature range of 59-63°F, and weekly total precipitation of 0.60 - 0.75 inches.
