Ohio has experienced a particularly cold and snowy January in 2025, but did the recent snowstorm and freezing temperatures break any records?
Temperature
In the past 25 years, Ohio’s coldest January temperature was recorded in 2014 at -12°F. So far this January, the coldest temperature in Lancaster, not accounting for wind chill, was 0°F. Other notable cold temperatures in January over the years include -10°F in 2004, -9°F in 2009, and -8°F in 2003. However, the coldest day in central Ohio history occurred before 2000, on January 19, 1994, when temperatures plummeted to -22°F. So, while January 2025 has been frigid, it has not broken any historical temperature records.
Snowfall
The snowstorm that swept across Ohio in early January 2025 was significant, but it did not surpass the record snowfall from 2008, which brought 15 inches of snow in March. The largest snowfall in the greater Columbus area in January was 5.7 inches, recorded in 2011. This month, Lancaster saw 5.5 inches of snow, making it one of the heavier snowfalls of the past few years, but still not a record. Other notable snowfalls in January over the last 25 years include 5.6 inches in 2009 and 4.2 inches in 2014.
As for the forecast ahead, the National Weather Service predicts above-normal precipitation and temperatures for the Fairfield County region, so Ohioans may face a milder February compared to the past month.
