Honestly, if you were planning on a nice winter hike at Oak Openings or a quick trip to the zoo this week, I've got some bad news for you.
It's cold. Like, "don't even think about leaving your gloves at home" cold.
As of Sunday afternoon, January 18, the temperature in Toledo is sitting at a crisp 17°F, but the southwest wind at 8 mph makes it feel more like 7°F. That’s the kind of weather that bites the moment you step off your porch.
The weather in Toledo Ohio this week isn't just about a single dip in the mercury; it’s a sustained deep freeze that’s already started messing with local plans. In fact, the Toledo Zoo already pulled the plug and announced they’re staying closed through Tuesday because it’s just too dangerous for both the staff and the animals.
The immediate outlook for Toledo
The rest of Sunday isn't looking much better. We’re topping out at 20°F today with heavy cloud cover.
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Once the sun goes down—or what counts for the sun behind those clouds—the temp drops to 12°F. We’re also looking at a 25% chance of snow showers tonight. It’s not a blizzard, but enough to make the roads slick for the Monday morning commute.
Speaking of Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is going to be a bit of a brutal one. The National Weather Service is calling for a high of 20°F again, but the real story is the overnight lows. We are talking single digits.
- Monday night: Single digits.
- Tuesday night: Still single digits.
- Winds: Persistent from the southwest, keeping that wind chill in the negatives.
Why this week feels different
It’s easy to say "it's January in Ohio, what do you expect?"
But this week is actually pushing the limits of our "normal" winter. Usually, a typical January day in Toledo sees a high of about 33°F. We aren't even coming close to that. We are essentially living in the 10th percentile of cold right now.
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PJM, the regional power grid operator, has even issued cold weather alerts for the entire region for January 19 and 20. They do this when they expect demand to skyrocket because everyone is cranking their furnaces to keep up with the single-digit lows.
Basically, the grid is feeling the stress just as much as your car battery is.
Watch out for the snow squalls
We already saw some sneaky snow totals earlier this week. On January 14, East Toledo got hit with a steady snowfall that actually beat the forecasts.
This week follows that trend. While we aren't seeing a massive "Winter Storm [Insert Name Here]" on the radar, we are seeing frequent "chance of snow showers" peppered throughout the forecast.
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When it's this cold, the snow doesn't melt. It just piles up into that fine, sugary powder that blows across I-475 and turns into black ice the second a tire rolls over it.
Surviving the Glass City's deep freeze
If you have to be out, you know the drill, but it bears repeating because people still forget.
Layering isn't just a suggestion; it’s a survival tactic. You need a base layer to wick moisture, a middle layer to trap heat, and a windproof outer layer because that southwest wind at 10 mph will cut right through a wool coat.
Also, check on your neighbors. If your pipes are shivering, theirs probably are too.
The weather in Toledo Ohio this week is a reminder that winter in the 419 doesn't play around. We’ve seen record lows in the past—like that -14°F back in 2014—and while we aren't quite hitting those history-book numbers, single digits are enough to cause real trouble.
Actionable steps for the next 48 hours:
- Drip your faucets: If you live in an older house in the Old West End or anywhere with exposed plumbing, keep a slow drip going to prevent frozen pipes during the Monday/Tuesday night deep freeze.
- Check your tires: Cold air makes tire pressure drop. That "low tire" light is probably going to pop up Monday morning.
- Plan for closures: With the Zoo already closed, check ahead if you’re heading to any local parks or outdoor venues.
- Gas up: Don't let your tank get below half. You don't want to be the person stuck on the side of the Anthony Wayne Trail with a frozen fuel line.
Stay warm, Toledo. It looks like we're in for a long, gray, and very chilly week.