COLUMBUS, Ohio – Dangerous wind chills were expected to greet central Ohioans as the state gets slapped with another blast of Arctic air.
The lowest air temperatures in central Ohio this morning were in the Delaware area where the mercury plunged to -23. The most brutal wind chill was -37 at Marysville at 3:50 a.m.
The National Weather Service has placed most of Ohio under a wind chill warning until Wednesday morning with readings of 20 to 30 below in Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo.
Temperatures will struggle to make it in the single digits today with wind chills near -25, ABC6/FOX28 meteorologist Dana Turtle said. Under clear skies, lows will drop down to about -5 and wind chills again near -25.
Turtle says sunshine arrives Wednesday with highs rising into the mid-teens, but wind chills again near -25.
Thursday will be warmer with increasing clouds, he said.
The weather gave students from pre-kindergarten to college a break. Columbus schools were among those closed. Ohio State University canceled its classes, as did the University of Akron, Youngstown State University and Ohio University.
Ohio’s top utility regulator urged residents to diminish natural gas and electricity use because of expected demand. American Electric Power encouraged people to turn off lights and electric appliances today, while Columbia Gas is asking customers to turn their thermostats down. The utilities are expecting peak demand during the early morning and evening hours.
Columbus residents can visit Recreation and Parks’ community facilities open to the public as warming centers during their regular operating hours:
Dodge, 667 Sullivant Ave.
Gillie, 4625 Morse Centre
Martin Janis, 600 E. 11th Ave
Lazelle Woods, 8140 Sancus
Marion Franklin, 2801 Lockbourne
Whetstone, 3923 N. High Street
The Delaware County District Library has offered all of their locations as warming centers.
The Delaware General Health District is providing home and commercial food safety information.
Seniors who require additional assistance are encouraged to contact the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging at 614-645-7250 or Life Care Alliance at 614-278-3130.