A weather system will travel east across the Ohio River Valley over the weekend, bringing in cold air, precipitation and first hard freezes of the season in north central Ohio.
Sunday and Monday nights are predicted to have temperature lows of 24 degrees in Mansfield, according to the National Weather Service’s seven-day forecast.
The Sunday and Monday night lows are predicted to be 22-24 degrees in Ashland and Mount Vernon.
Those temperatures mark the first hard freeze of the season, which NWS defines as when the temperature reaches 28 degrees or lower for at least an hour (or more). This usually means that most seasonal vegetation will be destroyed.
Not only does the cold front initiate winter weather temperatures, but also the seasonal death of midge flies, which have been spreading a record number of cases of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD, in Ohio’s deer.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has received 9,222 public reports of dead or sick deer as of Nov. 6. That includes
- 33 in Ashland County
- 18 in Richland County
- 33 in Knox County
EHD cases are most prevalent in Southeastern Ohio Counties, but ODNR has confirmed cases in 40 of Ohio’s 88 counties.
Midwestern deer populations have developed little resistance to EHD and summer drought conditions created ideal breeding grounds for the midge flies, allowing for the abundance of cases.
Knox County Wildlife Officer Austin Levering said he has taken several calls regarding dead or sick deer, but he said less than 15 of those calls were deer dead from EHD.
“Calls have basically vanished since we’ve gotten cold weather and frost,” Levering said.
Ashland County Wildlife Officer Evan Huegel also said reports have slowed. Huegel only received three reports of deer whose deaths seemed to be caused by EHD, but because EHD was already confirmed in the county, ODNR stopped testing carcasses.
Deer populations usually bounce back within a few years after EHD outbreaks, according to ODNR.
If you notice a dead or sick deer on your property, contact the Division of Wildlife by submitting a report online, calling 800-945-3543 or calling the county wildlife officer.
