Columbus hits 90 on fall's first day, then 59 by Friday morning
When does the heat break in Columbus GA this week
Columbus hit 90 again on Tuesday for the tenth straight day, but a cold front Wednesday drops highs to around 83 Thursday and Friday with a Friday morning low near 59.
Photo: Lucas Pezeta / Pexels
Astronomical fall arrived around eight o'clock this evening, and Columbus greeted it at 90 degrees.
The airport thermometer reached 90 at 12:45 this afternoon, four degrees above the normal high of 86 for September 22 and the tenth day in a row at 90 or better. That is 95 days at 90 or above so far this year, 37 of those at 95 or above, with the hottest day of the year still standing at 100 on August 17. For perspective on how wide the swing can be on this one calendar date, the coolest high ever recorded here on a September 22 was 68, back in 1969.
This is the end of the run. The Storm Prediction Center shifted its level 1 of 5 severe risk south and east this afternoon, into central Georgia and southern Alabama, where storms have been firing in hot, unstable air. There is very little wind change with height today, so storms are disorganized and scattered rather than lined up. The trouble comes from the downdrafts: rain-loaded air collapsing out of a storm and fanning out at the ground. Forecasters in Birmingham put the ceiling on those gusts around 60 mph, with brief street flooding under the heaviest cells.
Rain has been scarce in the gauge. Columbus picked up one hundredth of an inch today and sits at 2.37 inches for September, essentially right at normal for the month. For the year it is 40.27 inches, close to four inches ahead of where we usually are.
Wednesday still reaches about 90 with a stray storm, then a cold front clears things out. Thursday tops out near 83 and Friday morning starts at 59. Open the windows Thursday night. It has been a while.
Right now in Columbus, Georgia
75°Temperature
72°Dew point
92%Humidity
3 mphWind — north
29.98"Pressure
The next seven days
Day
High
Low
Rain
Conditions
TONIGHT
—
71°
24%
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
WED
90°
69°
20%
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
THU
83°
62°
4%
Partly Sunny
FRI
83°
59°
0%
Sunny
SAT
84°
58°
0%
Mostly Sunny
SUN
87°
59°
2%
Mostly Sunny
MON
88°
61°
8%
Mostly Sunny
Written by the CNAW 2 weather desk from CNAW 2 weather desk data. Last updated September 22, 2026 at 8:31 PM Eastern. Covering Columbus and Phenix City, Auburn–Opelika, LaGrange, Eufaula and the rest of the 19-county CNAW viewing area.
