State of Ohio
Monthly Climate Update
Review – November 2023
Temperature
1
Figure 1a: Average temperature and 1b:
Departure from Normal for the month of
November 2023. Data courtesy of the
Midwestern Regional Climate Center
(http://mrcc.purdue.edu).
Figure 2: State of Ohio average temperature ranks by county for November 2023. Courtesy of the
National Centers for Environmental Information (https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/).
Provided by the State Climate Office of Ohio, a collaboration of the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center,
Geography Department, and OSU Extension with support from Energent Solutions
a)
b)
Temperatures were generally near historical expectations
in November as Ohio moved into the later part of autumn.
Average temperatures were mostly uniform throughout
the state, ranging from 40-45°F, with small areas in the
northwest and northeast dipping down to the 35-40°F
range (Fig. 1a). Compared to the 29-year record,
temperatures were mostly within a degree of normal, with
a swath of eastern Ohio reaching 1-2°F below normal and
areas near Cleveland, Toledo, and central Ohio reaching 1-
2°F above normal (Fig. 1b). At the county level, most of
Ohio ranked near normal, with the western third of the
state reaching the warmer third of the record (Fig. 2).
Overall, despite ranking warmer than average, the
temperature departures seen in the western counties
were generally mild.
State of Ohio
Monthly Climate Update
Review – November 2023
Precipitation
2
Figure 3a: Accumulated precipitation and
3b: Departures from Normal for the month
of November 2023. Data courtesy of the
Midwestern Regional Climate Center
(http://mrcc.purdue.edu).
Figure 4: State of Ohio precipitation ranks by county for November 2023. Courtesy of the National
Centers for Environmental Information (https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/).
Provided by the State Climate Office of Ohio, a collaboration of the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center,
Geography Department, and OSU Extension with support from Energent Solutions
a)
b)
Ohio saw less precipitation than normal for the month
due to precipitation events that, although frequent, were
generally very light. Precipitation accumulation varied
from east to west, with the eastern bulk of Ohio receiving
around 1.5-3 inches of rain in the month. In the western
portion, accumulation was limited to around 0.5-1.5
inches, with the northwest seeing only 0.5-1 inches (Fig.
3a). Accumulated precipitation departures followed a
similar east-west gradient, with the eastern portion
seeing departures of -0.5 to -1.5 inches and the western
portion seeing departures of -1.5 to -2.5 inches (Fig. 3b).
At the county level, most of Ohio ranked in the drier third
of the record, with large portions of the northwest and
southwest ranking within the driest tenth. Consistent with
accumulation trends, the northwest counties saw the
greatest departures from normal, with Lucas and Williams
Counties seeing their third driest November on record
(Fig. 4)
State of Ohio
Monthly Climate Update
Review – November 2023
3
Figure 5a: 0-40 cm and 5b: 0-200 cm soil moisture percentile across
the region at the end of November. Courtesy of NASA SPoRTLIS
(https://weather.msfc.nasa.gov/sport/case_studies/lis_IN.html).
Figure 6: (Left) November 2023 heating & cooling degree days.
(Right) Corresponding Ohio Climate Divisions. Data courtesy of
the Midwestern Regional Climate Center
(http://mrcc.purdue.edu).
Provided by the State Climate Office of Ohio, a collaboration of the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center,
Geography Department, and OSU Extension with support from Energent Solutions
a)
b)
Soil and Energy
A combination of below-normal precipitation and
seasonal drying led to a large-scale decrease in soil
moisture throughout Ohio in November. Coinciding with
precipitation trends, the northwestern portion of Ohio
experienced severe soil dryness at both 0-40cm and 0-
200cm levels, while the rest of the state saw more
moderate dryness (Figs. 5a and 5b). While general drying
is expected during this time of year, the significant
dehydration seen in northwest Ohio and the bulk of
neighboring midwestern states may be exacerbated by
continued below-normal precipitation accumulation in
the coming months.
With autumn developing into its later half, Heating
Degree Days (HDDs) have come to dominate the state,
with no Cooling Degree Days (CDDs) seen anywhere in
Ohio during November. With near-average temperatures
over the month, departures for both HDDs and CDDs
were minimal. For many in Ohio, November marked the
switch from AC usage to heating, initiating the transition
to wintertime trends in energy usage.
State of Ohio
Monthly Climate Update
Review – November 2023
Notable Events
4
Figure 8: Image of the F4 tornado that hit Van Wert, Ohio on November 10, 2002.
Image courtesy of the Ohio State Highway Patrol
(https://www.weather.gov/iwx/20021110_tornado_photos_vanwert)
Provided by the State Climate Office of Ohio, a collaboration of the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center,
Geography Department, and OSU Extension with support from Energent Solutions
Despite the occurrence of lake effect
precipitation that blanketed northeast Ohio
with up to 13 inches of snow on November
28th, November is now the third month in a
row with a near absence of impactful weather
events in Ohio. While such inactivity is great for
human activities in the region, it is important
to remember that the potential for impactful
weather always exists. As such, this section is
dedicated to historical November weather
events that have impacted the lives of Ohioans
over the years.
As those in the northeast understand,
November can be a very snowy time of the
year for Ohio. There is no better example than
the Great Appalachian Storm of 1950, which
blanketed the entire state in at least 10 inches
of snow on November 25th, resulting in the
worst blizzard in Dayton history, as well as river
flooding near Cincinnati. The storm is perhaps
best known for its coincidence with that year’s
Ohio State-Michigan football game, now known
as the legendary Snow Bowl (Fig. 7).
While November may bring chilly conditions to
Ohio, it is not immune to severe weather. This
was seen during the 2002 Veterans Day
weekend tornado outbreak, which saw 19
confirmed tornados in Ohio, the strongest of
which being an F4 that struck the city of Van
Wert, resulting in 4 fatalities and 17 injuries
(Fig. 8). While some periods may be calmer
than others, history reminds us that it’s always
important to be weather aware.
Figure 7: Image of the Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio during the Ohio State-
Michigan football game on November 25, 1950, known as the Snow Bowl. Image
Courtesy of the Ohio State University (https://www.ohiomagazine.com/ohio-
life/article/1950-ohio-state-michigan-snow-bowl)
State of Ohio
Monthly Climate Update
Forecast: December 2023 – February 2024
Looking Ahead
5
Geddy R. Davis
Meteorologist/Atmospheric Scientist
Program Coordinator: Climate Services
Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center
The Ohio State University
davis.5694@osu.edu
Aaron B. Wilson
State Climate Office of Ohio
Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center
OSU Extension
The Ohio State University
Figure 9a: Nationwide Seasonal Temperature and 9b: Precipitation
Outlook for December 2023-February 2024. Courtesy of the Climate
Prediction Center (https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/).
Provided by the State Climate Office of Ohio, a collaboration of the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center,
Geography Department, and OSU Extension with support from Energent Solutions
Authors:
a)
b)
The CPC’s 3-month outlooks anticipate warm and
dry conditions in Ohio through the start of the
new year. In the entire state, temperatures are
likely to be above-normal during the peak of the
winter season (Fig. 9a). Meanwhile, most of Ohio
could see below-normal precipitation
accumulation, save for the southeastern portion
of the state. While the northwest corner of Ohio
has the highest likelihood, precipitation
predictions are generally low confidence (Fig.
9b). Overall, these trends are indicative of the
local influences of a strong El Niño pattern,
which is currently active and expected to
continue through at least spring. In Ohio, this
means a milder winter as temperatures remain
moderate and significant snow and ice events
are reduced. While this is beneficial to both
economic and human activities over the winter,
reduced precipitation could lead to greater long-
term soil dryness in Ohio, potentially impacting
the early growing season as winter transitions
into spring next year.
Note: these outlooks do not provide the
quantity of above or below normal conditions,
just the likelihood of occurrence (i.e.,
the probability).
Jacob L. Fields
Atmospheric Sciences Undergraduate
Student Assistant: Climate Services
Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center
The Ohio State University
fields.609@osu.edu
