Chilly with a side of rain for Thanksgiving

Temperatures will be below normal for Black Friday through Sunday.

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

No hazardous weather is expected for Ohio in the Thanksgiving holiday week, but conditions go from dry and chilly to rainy on the holiday to much colder for Black Friday and beyond.

It was dry and a bit warmer today, with highs reaching 52 in Dayton, 55 in Cincinnati and 50 degrees in Columbus. The overnight low only falling to around 43, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington.

Widespread light rain showers are expected throughout Thanksgiving Day, but those should taper off in the early evening. Highs will reach around 46 degrees before a sharp cold front brings much cooler air Thursday night into Friday. Some spots may see some flurries.

Black Friday shoppers will experience the start of temperatures well below seasonable norms.

The highs will be in the 30s and 40s and lows will be in the 20s through Sunday, the NWS said.

Black Friday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 36 degrees. Friday night will be mostly cloudy with an overnight low around 27 degrees.

Saturday, the day Ohio State plays Michigan, it will be partly sunny with a high near 44 degrees. There is a chance of rain and snow showers overnight after 1 a.m., with temperatures dropping to a low around 33 degrees.

Sunday will be mostly cloudy with a high near 42 degrees. Skies stay mostly cloudy Sunday night, which will have an overnight low around 28 degrees.

While no hazardous weather is expected for travelers, nearly 90% of the estimated 2.2 million Ohioans traveling between Wednesday and Sunday will drive to their Thanksgiving holiday destinations, AAA said.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol will have troopers out on extra patrols for the extended holiday, and the Ohio Department of Transportation said it will use more than 130 digital message boards to reinforce safe driving behaviors, such as driving sober, wearing seat belts, obeying the speed limit, and avoiding distractions.

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