Winter Storm Could Bring 8-14 Inches Of Snow to Cuyahoga County

CLEVELAND — Those hoping for a White Christmas are likely to get their wish – and then some.

The National Weather Service has upgraded its winter advisory to a warming for areas including Cuyahoga County. After temperatures started off mild Thursday morning, temperatures will drop throughout the day and rain will transition over to snow by mid-afternoon. The agency now predicts 8 to 14 inches of snow could hit parts of Cuyahoga County.

The winter warning will begin at 4 p.m. and extend through 1 p.m. Saturday.

"A brief window of a wintry mix is possible with this transition," the weather service said. "Meanwhile, a new low pressure system will develop across the Southeast and move north towards the Mid-Atlantic, providing additional support for snow tonight. Most of the synoptic snow will fall from around sunset through about daybreak on Friday.

As this low departs, snow will transition tolake effect snow on Friday across Northeast Ohio and NorthwestPennsylvania. Lake effect snow bands will begin fairly scattered before intensifying through Christmas day and continue intoSaturday. The best snow accumulations for lake effect at this timeappear to be near the lakeshore. Westerly winds with gusts to 30mph may allow for blowing snow, which could significantly reduce visibility and could cause drifting on north-south roadways."

The Ohio Department of Transportation warned that motorists will need to adjust their driving to the conditions, slow down, maintain a safe following distance behind other vehicles, and allow extra time to reach their destination, but if they can stay home, that's certainly the best option.

More than 250 snowplow drivers will be plowing and salting interstates, state and U.S. routes, ramps and bridges in 17 counties across northeast Ohio, ODOT officials said Thursday. Those counties include Ashland, Ashtabula, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Huron, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Richland, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, and Wayne counties. Crews will work around the clock in 12-hour shifts.

Christmas Day will see more snow and a high of 25 degrees, with a low of 17 degrees overnight.

Another 1 to 3 inches of snow could fall on Christmas Day. Snowfall should taper off by mid-afternoon on Saturday.