The National Weather Service in Cleveland is gearing up for a wintry mix over the next few days, expecting a clipper system to sweep across the region and leave a snowy blanket in its wake. There's increasing certainty about sub-zero wind chills by Friday, remaining a threat into early next week. According to the NWS Cleveland, "A widespread snow is expected today with the highest totals found across Northwest Pennsylvania."
Today's snowfall, heralded by the aforementioned clipper system, is projected to deliver between 0.5 and 2 inches across parts of Ohio with heftier totals—about 3 to 5 inches—in Northwest Pennsylvania. According to the NWS Cleveland, the warmth won't stay as temperatures are set to plummet: "A prolonged period of sub-zero wind chills is expected beginning this Friday and will likely extend into early next week," from the service's advisory. Those venturing outdoors may want to bundle up tight against the icy breath of winter that promises little reprieve until the weekend's close.
As for aviation, travelers should brace for potential delays. The forecast from NWS Cleveland highlights that Winds will also increase with 20 to 30 kt wind gusts in the warm sector during the daytime hours today, indicating possible interruptions in air travel schedules. Additionally, marine conditions remain rough on Lake Erie with ice covering its western third and nearshore waters from Cleveland to northwest Pennsylvania—open water survives in the central and eastern basin for now.
The service draws attention to the disruptive strength of the winds, "Behind the cold front tonight, winds will be westerly 20 to 30 knots. We may have a short time period late tonight into Thursday morning with winds approaching Gales over the central and eastern basin," as per NWS Cleveland. Mariners navigating these waters should heed the warnings and prepare for turbulent conditions. With another Arctic blast expected Friday, the service also anticipates further ice coverage and warns that nearshore ice could shift, complicating the situation on the lake's central and eastern basins.
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