After several days earlier this week reaching the 60s and 70s across the Ohio valley, it’s no wonder we have spring fever on our minds and possibly in our yards too!
But you may want to hold off on the planting or gardening in the upcoming week and here’s why.
Temperatures have significantly cooled off late week with highs dropping into the 40s and 50s but more importantly overnight lows back down into the upper 20s to mid 30s.
And usually one freezing night won’t hurt vegetation too much if protected, but looking at next week’s temperature trend we’ll have MULTIPLE nights in the 30s across the Ohio valley.
For example, take a long at the long-range temperature outlook above. It shows below average temperatures not just for the Ohio valley, but most of central US most likely will experience a chilly forecast.
So expect more cool blasts to come through middle half of April!
Ohio’s average highs this time of year range from upper 50s to mid 60s and overnight lows in the upper 30s to upper 40s.
Also it’s that time of year when overnight temperatures drop below 35° so we’ll have frost/freeze watches and warnings in place for those occasions.
Here’s a list the average ‘last freeze’ (32F) dates for cities in Ohio:
Climatology (1981-2010)
Cincinnati April 17th
Xenia April 17th
Portsmouth April 17th
Hamilton April 19th
Lancaster April 19th
Dayton April 19th
Milford April 20th
Wilmington April 20th
Chillicothe April 21st
Columbus April 21st
Cleveland April 24th
Akron-Canton April 24th
Delaware April 25th
Bellefontaine April 25th
Mansfield April 26th
Toledo April 26th
Youngstown May 3
Reminder that these dates are averages and it’s not uncommon for freezes to last until mid, maybe late May!