CLEVELAND — Buckle up because it’s going to be a roller coaster weekend filled with snow, wind, ice and cold temperatures. Either you hate it or love it, but it’s finally feeling like winter in Northeast Ohio.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for much of Northeast Ohio from 9 p.m. Friday until 3 p.m. Saturday, warning of:
- Mixed precipitation
- 1 to 3 inches of total snow accumulation
- Ice accumulations of a light glaze
- Winds gusting as high as 40 mph
The NWS said the snow will begin to move into the area early Friday night, with the heaviest snow fall Friday night before becoming mixed with and changing over to freezing rain and sleet Saturday morning. The freezing rain and sleet should only last for one to three hours before it transitions to rain as temperatures warm to around 40 degrees Saturday afternoon and evening.
The NWS advises residents to slow down and use caution while traveling. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 511. You can also visit the News 5 Traffic Center here for an interactive map and list of incidents and traffic alerts.
Here is more detail on this weekend's weather from the Power of 5 Weather Team:
Because Lake Erie is ice free except for a few bays, the Lake Effect Snow Machine will be cranking out snow throughout the weekend.
Snow will end Friday for most of the area, but it will make a return overnight around midnight, bringing 1 to 3 inches on the ground by 8 a.m. on Saturday.
Those heading out on the road should expect a glaze of ice from sunrise to midday before rain settles in. Windy conditions mixed with chilly temperatures could create dicey conditions and power outages.
Find power outages in your area here.
On Saturday, winds will be gusting over 40 mph through the day. A strong arctic cold front will sweep east through Ohio Saturday evening. This will usher in much colder air to end the weekend. Expect heavy lake effect snow squalls to develop east of Cleveland up the shoreline toward Mentor, Painesville and Ashtabula Saturday night thru Sunday.
The rain will change back to snow late Saturday into Sunday with heavy Lake Effect snow likely Sunday though Monday.
Another 1-3 inches is possible by early Sunday.
On Sunday, scattered Lake Effect snow will roll through the end of the weekend and into Sunday.
When you wake up on Monday, snow could be heavy with temperatures being very cold, likely not reaching above 25 degrees.
The Power of 5 Weather Team will be tracking snow as late as Tuesday.
Stay up to date with the latest weather forecast here.
RELATED: How very Cleveland: Two years ago Lake Erie was covered with ice, but this year we have none
