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what it's like to live, work and play in the Columbus Ohio Area

One of the first things people relocating to Columbus Ohio often ask me is what’s the weather like in the Columbus Ohio area? People relocating from warmer areas like Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Texas are especially curious about winter weather in Columbus. I’ve had others who relocate to Columbus Ohio from New York, Boston and Chicago areas who wonder how our weather throughout the year compares to theirs? So I’m sharing information from various sources, to give anyone relocating to Columbus Ohio an idea of what our weather is like throughout the year.

Columbus Ohio Weather Offers 4 Seasons for Variety

One of the most wonderful features of our weather in Columbus Ohio, is the fact that we have four seasons. While Columbus Ohio winter weather is not really extreme, since I’m not a cold weather person at all, I most enjoy three out of the four seasons in Central Ohio. Now of course I do enjoy a white Christmas, but other than that, I prefer Spring, Summer and Fall over winter in Columbus Ohio.  My son, Isaac, on the other hand enjoys sledding in the snow and creating various snow creatures, so he looks forward to snowy weather.  So I’ll start with my favorite season - Spring.

Spring officially starts around March 20 in Central Ohio. March weather in Columbus Ohio really varies.  Some years winter tries to linger and it’s not unusual to have one final snow storm in March or rarely in April, before spring can take hold permanently.  As the temperatures are warming up, any snow on the ground is typically gone in a day or two.  Spring is one of the most beautiful times of the year in Central Ohio because everything is so fresh and green from the spring rain.  It’s also my favorite time of the year because there is something so refreshing as you sense the warmth in the air that intends to stay for a while.  There’s a certain excitement in the garden in anticipation of seeing what perennial is going to magically pop out of the ground each day and then finally the tulips and daffodils come into full bloom.  Spring in Central Ohio is such a wonderful experience to savor.  Here’s the “normal” spring temperatures in the Columbus Ohio area.
March:  Hi: 51º, Low: 32º, Average: 42º
April:    Hi: 63º, Low: 41º, Average: 52º
May:     Hi: 73º, Low: 52º, Average: 62º

While these are the normal temperatures, you’ll certainly see some days warmer or cooler than these. I’ve experienced much warmer temperatures, even in the 70’s for April.  The Hi is what you’d see during the day and the low is more night time, as things tend to cool down quite a bit once the sun disappears.  This applies to any season in Central Ohio.

Summer in Columbus Ohio officially starts around June 20, however, warmer weather typically arrives in May.  Swimming pools open Memorial Day weekend and close on Labor Day in September.  June and September offer the ideal weather to me, because it’s less humid and comfortable temperatures so you don’t really need air conditioning. The really hot, humid weather tends to be in July and August and that’s when Isaac and I head to Alum Creek Beach to cool off (Yes we have a beach in Central Ohio).  Here’s the “normal” temperatures.  However, July and August often experience temperatures into the 90’s.
June:      Hi: 82º, Low: 61º, Average: 71º
July:       HI: 85º, Low: 65º, Average 75º
August:  HI: 84º, Low: 64º, Average: 74º

Fall officially starts around September 22, however, the fall colors typically peak in October and November.  Fall in Columbus Ohio is such a soothing, peaceful and comforting time of year.  The weather slowly starts cooling down as the beauty of the changing fall colors explode.  The changing landscape offers an opportunity to slow down after the hustle and bustle of summer to reflect on the significance of life.  Of course, Ohio State Buckeye Fans look forward to Fall as the long awaited OSU football season kicks off.  GO BUCKS!!!  (PS - I’ve been trying to teach Buckeye, my African Grey Parrot, to say GO BUCKS, so far he’s loving the sound of hubba bubba Buckeye better.  Maybe someday he’ll get it.)  I’ve seen temperatures in the 70’s in October and 80’s in September, but here’s the normal temps.
September:   Hi: 77º, Low: 56º, Average: 67º
October:       Hi: 66º, Low: 44º, Average: 55º
November:   Hi: 53º, Low: 35º, Average: 44º

Winter in Columbus Ohio officially starts around December 21. Who doesn’t enjoy the magical feeling of a white Christmas?  Yes we get snow in Columbus Ohio in the winter.  The funny thing is, it’s inconsistent enough that if we get more than say 4-6″ at a time, everything shuts down.  Schools are closed, the authorities issue a snow emergency and people forget they know how to drive.  Isaac just loves snow days . . . a chance to stay home and play in the snow all day with Berkeley, our Schnoodle and the neighbor kids.  Columbus is unlike Northern Ohio, where they get Lake effect snow throughout the winter - so they’re used to it.  Since our temperatures fluctuate a lot in the winter, when we get snow, it typically doesn’t stay on the ground too long.  Here’s the normal winter temperatures:
December:  Hi: 41º, Low: 26º, Average: 34º
January:      Hi: 36º, Low: 20º, Average: 28º
February:    Hi: 40º, Low: 23º, Average: 32º

Natural Disasters in Columbus Ohio

I’ve had several people move to Columbus Ohio from Florida because they are tired of the hurricanes and storms. So they often ask what natural disasters occur in Columbus Ohio?  I’ve lived in the Columbus Ohio area since 1969 and I cannot remember there being a tornado that has caused any damage.  There have been tornadoes in other parts of Ohio and from what I understand they tend to hit more rural areas rather than the city.

Minor flooding has occurred in few isolated areas, but it’s not really a problem all over Central Ohio.  Blizzards are not common, but we have had two that I can remember.  I can remember the Columbus Blizzard of January, 1978 when I was a kid as being the worst.  I guess there was several inches of snow that fell in Columbus Ohio within 24 hours, but it was the blinding winds and below zero temperatures combined that turned this snow storm into a blizzard.  There were lots of power outages and people were stranded in their homes without heat.  I remember the Ohio National Guard rescued our family from the freezing cold and took us to a local recreation center to stay warm for a few days until power could be restored.

Columbus Ohio had another blizzard in March of 2008, which didn’t cause major power outages and only caused roads to be closed for a day or two. The Blizzard of March 2008 consisted of a 15.4 inch record snow fall, in a 24 hour period, recorded at Port Columbus Airport and about 20.4 inches of snow piled up altogether.  However, since it was March, it quickly warmed up after the storm and melted the snow.  So this was nothing like the Blizzard of 1978.  Snow storms of this magnitude are quite rare in Columbus Ohio.

Relocating to Columbus Ohio?

If you’re planning to move to the Columbus Ohio area, please CONTACT Petra at 614-895-0496, to receive a custom Columbus Ohio Relocation information package filled with extensive Central Ohio community information, Columbus Ohio Map with suburbs of Central Ohio, CD community tour and more.  As an experienced Columbus Ohio REALTOR®, Petra can make relocating to Columbus Ohio easier!

*Weather statistics have been compiled from various sources like accuweather and NOAA, to give you an idea of what Columbus Ohio weather is like.  Keep in mind, I do not guarantee the accuracy of this information and mother nature has a mind of her own that no one can totally predict.  I have shared this information only to help give you an idea of what it’s like to live in Columbus Ohio.