LAKE COUNTY, Ohio — More wintry weather is on the way for portions of Northeast Ohio, which is why the National Weather Service in Cleveland has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Lake and Ashtabula counties with “heavy lake effect snow possible.”
The weather alert is in effect from late Thursday night through Monday morning.
3News’ Anthony Copeland says we’re tracking a “significant amount” of lake effect snow.
“A northwest flow is going to be established across the Great Lakes, so lake effect really cranks up Friday morning, Friday afternoon, Saturday, Sunday, right into your Monday,” Copeland says.
The National Weather Service says the snow rates will create poor visibility, “which could make travel difficult to impossible, especially along Interstate 90.”
How much snow?
Copeland says we could see snow accumulation upwards of a foot of snow along the I-90 corridor in areas east of Cleveland.
So if you have any post-holiday travel that includes I-90 through Lake and Ashtabula counties, you should either consider delaying or finding a route that’s further south like I-80.
“If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution,” according to the National Weather Service. “Consider taking a winter storm kit along with you, including such items as tire chains, booster cables, flashlight, shovel, blankets and extra clothing. Also take water, a first aid kit and anything else that would help you survive in case you become stranded. During lake effect snow, the weather can vary from bands of locally heavy snow to dry weather just a few miles away. Visibilities can also vary greatly. Be prepared for rapid changes in weather, visibility, and road conditions.”