Cleveland woke up under a solid gray ceiling today, with temperatures hovering near 32°F. Expect it to stay mostly cloudy through the day, with the high topping out around 39°F. West winds should roll in at 7 to 12 mph, with occasional gusts up to about 24 mph to keep things feeling a bit raw.
Tonight Into Monday
The calm does not last long. Snow chances ramp up late tonight, with snow likely after 9 p.m. today. The low drops to around 31°F, and only a light dusting is expected overnight.
The main event is from Sunday to Monday. Widespread snow is more likely through that stretch, with generally light totals for much of the metro, but heavier, lake-enhanced bands setting up downwind of Lake Erie. As northwest winds increase Sunday into Monday, those bands could briefly drop visibility and whip up some blowing snow where it comes down hardest.
According to NWS Cleveland, new snow accumulations of less than one inch are expected Sunday, with 1 to 3 inches possible Sunday night and 2 to 4 inches on Monday in many areas. In the primary snowbelt, locally higher totals of up to 5 to 7 inches are on the table.
What This Means For Your Commute
Travel gets trickier Sunday night into Monday, especially for anyone driving through the snowbelt or higher elevations. Where snow falls steadily, expect slick roads, slower traffic, and the kind of stop-and-go that tests your patience more than your brakes.
The Ohio Department of Transportation is rolling out plows across northeast Ohio and is urging drivers to avoid travel when possible. If you have to be out there, give plow trucks plenty of space, take it slow, and build in extra time. Icy patches and brief whiteout conditions are possible in the heavier bands, so the usual “just a dusting” mindset could get you in trouble.
Per reporting by Cleveland19, ODOT has already been staging crews and salt in District 12 ahead of this system.
Prepare And Plan
This is classic Cleveland winter, so treat it that way. Layer up, top off your gas tank, and keep a basic winter kit in your car. Blankets, water, a shovel, and a phone charger cover the essentials if you end up stuck longer than planned.
If you rely on transit, check service notices and budget extra time for delays. Nonessential errands are better pushed to later in the week. Temperatures are expected to trend closer to normal by midweek, with a chance of showers later, so the heavier snow looks focused on Sunday into Monday for now.
We will update this space if the National Weather Service issues any advisories or warnings for the Cleveland area.
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