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Shaded-relief map of Columbus, Pennsylvania: rivers, roads, the city limits and where the water drains.
PENNSYLVANIA · WARREN COUNTY

Columbus

1,556 people, 1,410 ft above sea level in Warren County.

1,410 ftElevation, city center
1,556People, 2024 estimate
41 sq miLand area
Sunny 36°
Sunny now Dew point 36° · WNW 14 mph · high 39°
City of Columbus River Interstate 2 miles
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The Columbus plate. Relief from Copernicus GLO-30; rivers and lakes from USGS NHD; watersheds from the USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset; roads and city limits from Census TIGER 2024.

MILE1
TODAY

Today in Columbus

NWS forecast and National Blend of Models · updated 1:00 PM EST
RIGHT NOW Chautauqua County/Jamestown Airport (KJHW) · 2:56 PM
Sunny
36° Sunny Feels like 27° · high of 39° near 3 PM
WindWNW 14 mphno gusts
Humidity100%rising to 100% by morning
Pressure29.90 in →steady
Visibility10 mihaze-free
CloudsClear
UV index—no forecast
Dew point 36° · Dryabout the same for three days
DryComfortableStickyMuggyOppressive
NEXT RAIN
Rain
Tonight, about 11 PMin about 8 hours · 34% chance · rain
LIKELY AMOUNT—amounts come within 3 days
LAST RAINNov. 130.21 in · 1 dry day
ALERTS & OUTLOOKS
No watches or warnings for Warren County
NWS State College and the Storm Prediction Center · checked 3:17 PM
SUN & MOON
↑ 7:06 AM4:58 PM ↓
9 h 52 m of daylight, 2 minutes less than yesterday
Waxing crescent, 25% lit. Next full moon: Nov. 24.
AIR & POLLEN
25
GOODAir quality index · ozone
Tomorrow: 15, good. No pollen source yet.

The next three days, hour by hour

Sky: clear, cloudy, night Rain likely National Blend of Models
SATURDAY, NOV. 14
SUNDAY, NOV. 15
MONDAY, NOV. 16
TUESDAY, NOV. 17
3p
6p
9p
Mid
3a
6a
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Noon
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3p
6p
9p
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3a
6a
9a
Noon
mostly cloudy day
mostly cloudy night
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mostly cloudy night
mostly cloudy day
mostly cloudy day
mostly cloudy day
mostly cloudy day
mostly cloudy night
mostly cloudy night
mostly cloudy night
mostly cloudy night
mostly cloudy day
mostly cloudy day
mostly cloudy day
partly cloudy day
partly cloudy night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
TEMPERATURE °F
39°
33°
40°
34°
43°
29°
CHANCE OF RAIN
34% · 0.00 in Saturday night 50%
WIND, MPH
10
10
9
7
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8
7
3
3
2
3
2
5
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HOW IT FEELS · DEW POINT
Dry: dew points 29 to 38° ↑ Humid air returns More humid: 38° by Tuesday

The next seven days, and how sure we are

Forecast, with the range 8 in 10 ensemble members agree on Normal, about 80° / 62°
SAT Nov. 14 Chance of showers Chance of showers
39° 31°
30% rain — NW 11 A
SUN Nov. 15 Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy
43° 32°
30% rain — NNW 7 A
MON Nov. 16 Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy
45° 28°
0% rain — WNW 4 A
TUE Nov. 17 Sunny Sunny
50° 28°
0% rain — SW 2 B
WED Nov. 18 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
53° 31°
0% rain — S 3 B
THU Nov. 19 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
57° 39°
0% rain — SSW 6 B
FRI Nov. 20 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
57° 39°
0% rain — WSW 1 C
How sure are we? AModels agree: highs within 4° BSome spread: within 8° CWide spread: check back
Range from the National Blend of Models percentiles · graded on Forecast Scores
AIR MAIL

Where today’s air came from

The air arriving over Columbus about 5,000 feet above the ground was over Canada three days ago, and over Ontario a day ago, about 2,510 miles back along its path. It came down from about 9,200 feet up, warming and drying as it sank. Near the ground the air came from the Canadian Prairies; at 10,000 feet, from British Columbia. It has stayed over land, which is why it feels dry. Traced back 72 hours through NOAA’s hourly RAP analyses and the GFS beyond them, nine paths at each of three heights.

THIS WEEK, SIX YEARS AGO Nov. 11, 2020

The hottest this week has been

77° on Nov. 11, 2020, the hottest reading for this week of the year since 1895. Next is 73° in 1990.

73°
77°
19902020
Source: NOAA RCC-ACIS, the Jamestown Area threaded record since 1895.
MILE2
THE GROUND

What Columbus stands on

Columbus’s center stands about 1,410 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 1,380 ft to 1,790 ft, a difference of 410 ft: hilly country. The highest named summit within 15 miles is Jackson Hill, about 1,980 ft, 8 miles south-southeast.

Under the town center the state geologic map shows Venango Formation (siltstone, conglomerate), from the Late Devonian, 359 to 384 million years old.

The section below crosses 3 rock units mapped at the surface.

Wattsburg to Youngsville, cut in half

A section northwest to southeast, 24 miles through the town center
1,250 ft1,500 ft1,750 ft COLUMBUS1,410 ftWattsburg1,310 ftDowd Hill1,810 ftBrooks Rocks1,960 ft ← NW · WattsburgYoungsville · SE →

Heights every 0.1 mile from the Copernicus GLO-90 surface model; vertical exaggeration about 30×. The colored band under the surface is the rock the state geologic map shows at the surface, not a picture of what lies beneath.

Rock at the surface along the line

Venango Formation

Siltstone, conglomerate. Age: Late Devonian, 359 to 384 million years old. About 12 mi of the line.

Corry Sandstone through Riceville Formation, undivided

Sandstone, shale. Age: Late Devonian, 359 to 384 million years old. About 11 mi of the line.

Chadakoin Formation

Siltstone, shale. Age: Late Devonian, 359 to 384 million years old. About 1 mi of the line.

From the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation (Horton and others, 2017), the states’ geologic maps joined at a common scale.

Heights from Copernicus GLO-90 (a surface model: it includes buildings and tree canopy); summits from USGS GNIS; rivers from USGS NHDPlus HR; rock from the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation.

MILE3
THE WATER

Where Columbus’s rain goes

A raindrop that lands in Columbus reaches the Gulf of America by way of Coffee Creek, Brokenstraw Creek, the Allegheny, the Ohio and the Mississippi: about 2,160 river miles.

THE WAY DOWN, TO SCALE
Columbus≈ 2,160 mi · the Gulf of America
FROM THE CENTER OF COLUMBUS ≈ 2,160 mi to the Gulf of America Coffee Creek → Brokenstraw Creek → Allegheny → Ohio → Mississippi

970 miles of the trip are on the Ohio.

Traced down the USGS NHDPlus V2.1 river network from the Census center point of Columbus; river miles along the main stem, rounded.

MILE5
THE ALMANAC

Columbus’s year

1991–2020 normals · records since 1895 · Jamestown 4 ENE, 25 mi east-northeast

Columbus has a warm-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 80° in July; winter nights fall to about 16° in January. A normal year brings about 98 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 46 inches of water.

32°16°35°16°44°23°57°34°69°44°76°54°80°58°79°56°73°49°61°39°48°31°37°23° JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 123 TODAY COLUMBUS 45.9 in rain and snowmelt
Normal high to low, by month Record high to low, by day Rain by month Freezing
July, average80° / 58°high / low, the warmest month
January, average32° / 16°high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow45.9 inwettest months: July and June
Snow a year98.4 insnowiest: January
Hottest on record103°FJune 21, 1988
Coldest on record−31°FFebruary 17, 2015
Wettest day on record4.52 inOctober 16, 1954
Snowiest day on record23.0 inMarch 17, 1936
90° days a year5none reach 100°
Nights at or below 32°154and 51 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeWarm-summer humid continentalKöppen Dfb

AROUND THE RING

1Freeze seasonfrom the first fall freeze, about Oct. 11, to the last in spring, about May 16 (median dates)
2Highs below freezingJan. 11 to Feb. 4; normal highs stay below 32°
3Lows below freezingNov. 8 to April 11; normal lows fall below 32°
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Columbus normally reaches 49° and falls to 31°. The record high is 71°, in 2010; the record low 7°, in 1905. The most rain on this date, 0.88 in, fell in 1988.

MONTH BY MONTH
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Normal high32°35°44°57°69°76°80°79°73°61°48°37°
Normal low16°16°23°34°44°54°58°56°49°39°31°23°
Rain and melt, in3.812.703.163.913.944.364.553.594.194.113.693.92
Snow, inches29.819.315.32.70.00.00.00.00.00.49.321.6
Record high72° (1950)73° (2017)82° (1998)92° (1990)93° (1929)103° (1988)100° (1936)99° (1988)98° (1953)88° (1951)80° (1950)73° (1982)
Record low−31° (1904)−31° (2015)−23° (2015)−1° (1923)19° (1987)27° (1986)36° (1985)28° (1986)24° (1904)13° (1985)−6° (1903)−21° (1988)

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1895 from the Jamestown Area threaded record (Jamestown 4 ENE, 25 miles east-northeast, 160 ft lower). NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.

MILE7
ON THE NETWORK

Around Columbus on the Forecast Network

Neighboring plates

Erie PA · 29 MI 29 miles northwest Millcreek PA · 31 MI 31 miles west Buffalo NY · 75 MI 75 miles northeast Pittsburgh PA · 106 MI 106 miles south Cleveland OH · 114 MI 114 miles west Detroit MI · 184 MI 184 miles west
FORECASTCITY
Map of Columbus, Pennsylvania. Explore the plate
PENNSYLVANIA · WARREN

Columbus

1,556 people, 1,410 ft above sea level in Warren County.

1,410 ftElevation
1,556People
41 sq miLand
Sunny 36°
SunnyDew point 36°
1

Today in Columbus

NEXT 15 HOURS
Now mostly cloudy day 39° 10%
6p mostly cloudy night 37° 9%
9p mostly cloudy night 36° 20%
12a mostly cloudy night 34° 27%
3a mostly cloudy night 33° 19%
6a mostly cloudy night 33° 21%
Rain
NEXT RAINTonight about 11 PM · 34%
→
Sat30%
Chance of showers Chance of showers
31
39
A
Sun30%
Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy
32
43
A
Mon0%
Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy
28
45
A
Tue0%
Sunny Sunny
28
50
B
Wed0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
31
53
B
Thu0%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
39
57
B
Fri0%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
39
57
C
Letters show how sure the forecast is: A, models agree; B, some spread; C, check back. Sample data.
THIS WEEK, SIX YEARS AGO · NOV. 11, 2020

77°, the hottest this week of the year has been since 1895.

2

What Columbus stands on

Columbus’s center stands about 1,410 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 1,380 ft to 1,790 ft, a difference of 410 ft: hilly country. The highest named summit within 15 miles is Jackson Hill, about 1,980 ft, 8 miles south-southeast.

Columbus, northwest to southeast Columbus1,410 ftDowd Hill1,810 ftBrooks Rocks1,960 ft ← NWSE → 24 miles through the town center; vertical exaggeration about 57×. Colors: rock at the surface.
Elevation, center1,410 ft
Within 3 miles1,380 to 1,790 ft
Lie of the landHilly (410 ft of relief)
High point nearbyJackson Hill, 1,980 ft, 8 mi south-southeast
Rock at the surfaceVenango Formation
Its ageLate Devonian, 359 to 384 million years old
5

Columbus’s year

Columbus has a warm-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 80° in July; winter nights fall to about 16° in January. A normal year brings about 98 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 46 inches of water.

JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 123 45.9 in
July, average80° / 58° · high / low, the warmest month
January, average32° / 16° · high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow45.9 in · wettest months: July and June
Snow a year98.4 in · snowiest: January
Hottest on record103°F · June 21, 1988
Coldest on record−31°F · February 17, 2015
Wettest day on record4.52 in · October 16, 1954
Snowiest day on record23.0 in · March 17, 1936
90° days a year5 · none reach 100°
Nights at or below 32°154 · and 51 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeWarm-summer humid continental · Köppen Dfb
1Freeze season · from the first fall freeze, about Oct. 11, to the last in spring, about May 16 (median dates)
2Highs below freezing · Jan. 11 to Feb. 4; normal highs stay below 32°
3Lows below freezing · Nov. 8 to April 11; normal lows fall below 32°
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Columbus normally reaches 49° and falls to 31°. The record high is 71°, in 2010; the record low 7°, in 1905. The most rain on this date, 0.88 in, fell in 1988.

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1895 from the Jamestown Area threaded record (Jamestown 4 ENE, 25 miles east-northeast, 160 ft lower). NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.
3

Where the rain goes

≈ 2,160 mito the Gulf of AmericaCoffee Creek → Brokenstraw Creek → Allegheny → Ohio → Mississippi

A raindrop that lands in Columbus reaches the Gulf of America by way of Coffee Creek, Brokenstraw Creek, the Allegheny, the Ohio and the Mississippi: about 2,160 river miles.

970 miles of the trip are on the Ohio.