OHIO — While Ohioans typically associate snowfall with the deep winter months, weather records show that measurable snow has fallen in the state as early as October.
Although rare, the possibility of October snow is supported by historical climate data collected over more than a century.
The National Weather Service has documented several instances of measurable October snowfall across Ohio. Columbus, for example, recorded measurable snow as early as October 10, 1906, when 0.2 inches accumulated.
In Cleveland, one of the snowiest cities in the state, the earliest measurable snowfall came on October 2, 1974, when 0.2 inches were observed.
Dayton recorded 0.3 inches on October 10, 1906, marking its earliest measurable snow. Cincinnati, which generally sees less snow than northern parts of the state, has also recorded October snowfall, including 0.5 inches on October 19, 1989.
Lake-effect snow makes northeastern Ohio particularly susceptible to early-season snowfall. Cold air passing over the still-warm waters of Lake Erie can create lake-effect snow events well before winter officially begins.
This makes places like Cleveland and the Snowbelt region east of the city more likely to see measurable October snow than southern and western parts of the state.
Statewide averages show that snowfall typically begins in November, with the bulk of accumulation occurring from December through February.
Still, the historical record makes clear that October snow is not out of the question. Early-season storms, combined with cold fronts arriving from Canada, can occasionally align to produce measurable snowfall even before most Ohioans have put away their lawnmowers for the year.
While such events are uncommon, the data confirm that measurable snowfall in October has happened across Ohio in the past, and therefore remains a possibility each fall.
