COLUMBUS, Ohio – It’s the return of the polar vortex but, like so many sequels, it won’t be as good as the original.
The National Weather Service says temperatures in central Ohio will begin dropping tonight, accompanied by 1-2 inches of snow. Forecasters expect high temperatures in the teens through Thursday, with wind chills as low as 20-below-zero, with single-digit low temperatures during the overnight hours (see below).
Sub-zero temperatures on Jan. 6 and 7 made for the coldest two-day stretch in two decades in the state. The addition of wind gusts caused more problems: Power was knocked out, furnaces failed and pipes froze. Experts say the early January’s extreme cold and wind are expected to be one of the costliest weather events in Ohio since the remnants of Hurricane Ike hit in 2008.
Ohio is under a statewide energy emergency.
Governor John Kasich issued a declaration this past weekend because of a propane gas shortage caused by this month’s cold snap.
“This will help get propane companies resupplied so Ohioans who use propane to heat their homes can stay warm, while also doing it safely. We’re also working closely with county officials to look out for people whose supplies might be getting low,” Kasich said in a statement announcing the declaration.
The declaration allows trucker hauling propane or heating oil to drive more hours and more consecutive days than they normally would be allowed by law.