ODOT prepares for heavy snowfall in NE Ohio

CLEVELAND (WJW) – Love it or hate it the snowy forecasts are here! Over the next few days, a lot of us will be seeing snow and the Ohio Department of Transportation is getting ready.

The forecast for the snowbelt region has ODOT preparing for heavy snowfall and a heavy workload to start the week.

The National Weather Service has announced a Lake Effect Snow Warning for Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula Counties. The warning went into effect Monday at 7 a.m. for Lake and Ashtabula and goes into effect at 7 p.m. for Geauga. It ends for all Wednesday at 7 a.m.

A Lake Effect Snow Warning also goes into effect at 9 p.m. for Cuyahoga Couty and lasts until midnight Tuesday night.

A Winter Weather Advisory goes into effect at 1 a.m. and lasts until 7 p.m. Tuesday for Portage County. It also goes into effect Monday at 7 p.m. through Tuesday at 7 a.m. for Trumbull County.

There are about 230 ODOT snow plows on the roadways in Northeast Ohio on Monday to treat and maintain the roadways before they are hit with snow, especially in the areas that could see more than a foot of snow over the next few days. Even more plows will be on the roadways Monday night heading into Tuesday morning.

ODOT says this prepping task is a bit more difficult because they couldn’t really pre-treat the roads Sunday, due to rain.

“Our crews will be out treating the roads, but when snow is falling at more than an inch an hour, it’s difficult for our crews to keep up with that snowfall, so please plan ahead leave for work early tomorrow give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination,” ODOT’s Ray Marsch says.

ODOT wants to remind drivers to give the plows plenty of room on the roads and not to forget to give themselves a little time on their commute over the next few days, especially on Tuesday morning.

for the latest Northeast Ohio forecast.