It's snow season in Cleveland, and the latest reports from the National Weather Service (NWS) in Cleveland are painting a picture of winter's grip tightening over the Ohio region. According to the NWS, the snowstorm that has been gathering pace this morning is now expected to subside more rapidly tonight. However, for those thinking they can quickly resume the bustle of daily life, it might be wise to pump the brakes. As reported by the NWS, snowfall totals are anticipated to rise, reaching 10-15 inches with particularly heavy snowfall predicted along a Mt. Vernon to Meadville line.
A NWS area forecast discussion outlines, "The snow will rapidly taper off from west to east tonight as the low and associated forcing move toward the New Jersey coast... Nevertheless, travel impacts will continue through the night as NW winds increase to 15-25 knots." Monday morning, brace yourselves to potentially shovel 1-3 inches of lake-enhanced snow accumulation on top. Temperatures also seem to take the plunge post-storm, so it's high time to layer up and prepare for a bone-chilling Monday night. The NWS forecasts temperatures to drop "below zero Monday night and Tuesday morning with wind chill values of -10 to -20 bringing a significant cold exposure risk."
Moving beyond immediate storm woes, the persistent cold appears to not be giving residents any respite. The weather pattern suggests the cold stretch prevailing through next weekend, leading to "elevated risks for cold exposure and damage to infrastructure," according to the NWS. Clevelanders should notably expect daily highs languishing in the low and mid-teens, and if you were to think a crackling fire is just for ambiance, think again – with wind chills anticipated to frequently dive to -20, it's more a necessity than a luxury.
It's also a heads-up for the mariners out there. The NWS warns of east-northeast flow becoming 15-20 knots today, trending southwest by Tuesday with sustained winds about 20-30 knots. "Stronger southwest winds on Tuesday may break up and shift the ice northeastward away from the southwestern shoreline of Lake Erie," the NWS discussion admonishes. So, for those plying the waters of Lake Erie, it might just be apt to securely dock and weather the storm. And all the while, Cleveland's Lake Erie shoreline keeps building up its winter ice, never minding the tumult above.
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