Heavy overnight snow shuts down dozens of Cincinnati-area schools, breaks December record

Cincinnati residents woke Tuesday (2) morning to significant snowfall that accumulated rapidly overnight, prompting dozens of school closures and delays throughout the region. The winter storm, Cincinnati’s first major snow event of the season, dropped enough snow to break a longstanding daily record and complicate early-morning travel.

Cincinnati Public Schools announced that all schools would be closed for the day, and staff members were advised not to report. Several other districts and private schools across southwest Ohio, northern Kentucky, and southeast Indiana issued similar closures or delayed start times as road conditions deteriorated.

Snow began late Monday (1) night and intensified during the early morning hours. By the time the system moved east shortly after sunrise, most communities had reported totals near or above four inches. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport measured 4.3 inches, surpassing the previous Dec. 2 record of 2.2 inches set in 1929, nearly doubling it.

Several of the region’s highest totals came from northern and eastern Cincinnati suburbs. Mason recorded 5.5 inches, while Landen, Madeira, and Anderson Township each reported around 5 inches. Communities in northern Kentucky, including Florence and Hebron, measured roughly 4.5 inches. Similar amounts were reported in areas such as Norwood, Beckett Ridge, and Saint Martin. Wilmington registered just over four inches, and Aurora, Indiana, came in at four.

The timing of the snow created major challenges for road crews, who spent the pre-dawn hours attempting to keep up with the steady accumulation. As the snow tapered off, crews shifted to clearing and salting major routes, but drivers still faced slow travel and slick pavement during the morning commute. Temperatures remained well below freezing, limiting melting and keeping many residential roads snow-covered.

Forecasters expect frigid air to linger through the rest of the week. High temperatures on Tuesday (2) will hover near 31 degrees, and the bitter conditions are likely to persist through Friday (28). Whatever snow has accumulated is expected to stay in place, with little natural melting anticipated.

Another weather system is projected to move into the region by Sunday (30), potentially bringing a second round of snowfall. With temperatures remaining stubbornly cold, forecasters warn residents to prepare for continued winter weather impacts as the week progresses.