It’ll be a cool 45 degrees for the Ohio State Fair butter cow inside its temperature-controlled case at the Dairy Products Building. The rest of us fair-goers run a much higher chance of melting over the next 12 days.
Weather forecasts for much of the 170th fair’s run from July 23 to Aug. 3 call for above-average daily highs and normal chances of rain.
What does that translate to on the midway at the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds on Columbus’ North Side?
According to the National Weather Service, this means temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s, with mostly rain-free, albeit muggy, days.
The weather service forecast for the fair’s opening days calls for high temperatures near 91 with mostly clear skies on July 23, near 94 with a 30% chance of rain on July 24, near 92 with a 50% chance of rain on July 25 and near 91 with a 50% chance of rain on July 26.
Longer-range forecasts from AccuWeather show the highest probabilities of rain on July 26 (78%) and July 27 (71%), with more than 50% probabilities on July 25, 30 and 31 as well.
Your best bet, weather-wise, according to AccuWeather, is the Ohio State Fair’s closing day on Aug. 3, when the forecast calls for a high temperature of 83 with just a 5% probability of rain.
Ohio State Fair Forecast for week of July 21, 2025
The National Weather Service in Wilmington issued the following forecast in Columbus for the week of July 21, 2025.
When does the Ohio State Fair 2025 begin?
The Dispatch has an answer to every possible question you might have about the 2025 Ohio State Fair. Need to know where to get tickets or where to park? We’ve got an answer for that. Want to know who’s performing on the big stage? We know that, too.
Check out our 2025 Ohio State Fair guides:
Rodeos, rides and renovations: See what’s new at the Ohio State Fair
Ohio State fair tickets, parking info: What you need to know
Trace Adkins, Taylor Swift tribute shows added to Ohio State Fair entertainment lineup
Ohio State Fair’s 2025 menu includes sausage s’mores and peanut butter-chocolate lemonade
What are this year’s Ohio State Fair deviled egg flavors?
Reporter Bob Vitale can be reached at rvitale@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State Fair weather forecast: Will rain or extreme heat spoil a dozen days of fun?
Reporting by Bob Vitale, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect


