Columbus should expect a hot, rainy weather as summer nears, NOAA says
"Wet Hot American Summer" is a 2001 comedy movie starring Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler. It's also a good description of the weather we can expect this summer in Columbus.
There's a 40-50% chance that temperatures around Columbus will be higher than usual in May, June and July, according to NOAA.
This would follow the region's ongoing trend of being hotter than average month-by-month. In March, the average temperature in Columbus was 4.9 degrees higher than usual, and in February, it was 8 degrees higher.
When it comes to rain and other precipitation, there's a 33-40% chance of it coming down in more significant amounts than average, according to another NOAA map.
How will El Niño impact summer weather?
According to NOAA, El Niño occurs when the Earth's trade winds that swirl around the equator weaken, pushing warm water toward the U.S.'s west coast, as I reported in a February Dispatch story.
These warm waters cause the tropical Pacific Ocean jet stream—a fast, narrow current of air high in the atmosphere —to shift, bringing warm, dry conditions to the northern U.S. and Canada while creating wetter conditions in the south.
El Niño has been in effect since June 2023 but may be going away soon. The NWS climate prediction center gives the U.S. a 85% chance of going from El Niño to neutral conditions in the months of April to June, meaning El Niño's weather effects may be gone by the time summer rolls around.
More:Earth Day 2024: What's the difference between global warming, climate change? What to know
Weather forecast for the week of April 22, 2024
The heat isn't here yet. At least, not for a few more days, according to NWS Wilmington's forecast for Columbus.
- Tuesday: A chance of showers, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. Southwest wind 14 to 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
- Tuesday Night: Showers, mainly before 2am. Low around 47. West wind 9 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
- Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 56. Northwest wind 11 to 13 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Widespread frost, mainly after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 32.
- Thursday: Widespread frost before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 61.
- Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40.
- Friday: A chance of showers after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Friday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
- Saturday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
- Saturday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
- Sunday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Reporting from previous weather stories was used in this story.
@PartofMyHart