ODOT prepares to handle Lake Effect Snow Warning

CLEVELAND (WJW) – The Ohio Department of Transportation is gearing up to treat and clear snow from interstate roadways that could see up to 15 inches in some counties across Northeast Ohio.

A Lake Effect Snow Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service from 7 a.m. Monday through 7 a.m. Wednesday.

“Around midnight we will have approximately 230 snowplows hitting the roadways here in Northeast Ohio,” ODOT Northeast Public Information Officer Amanda McFarland said.

McFarland said this round of winter weather will be tougher to manage than normal due to the amount of rain that’s falling before it turns into snow, which will prevent ODOT from pretreating the roadways with a brine solution.

“Unfortunately, we’re not going to be able to do that,” she said. “So, in some of those areas where they are expecting the heavier snowfall, that could create a challenge as we get through this storm, which is going to come in on Monday and last all through Monday and all day Tuesday.”

Lake County is set to see 10-15 inches of snow according to projections by the NWS. Ashtabula Inland, Ashtabula Lakeshore and Geauga are all under the Lake Effect Warning.

ODOT urges drivers to give plenty of time to make your commute to work on both Monday and Tuesday due to the storm, especially if you live in the snowbelt.

“Coming back to work after a holiday is always a real bummer,” McFarland said. “And coming back to work after a holiday with snow in the forecast is even a bigger bummer. So, my advice is definitely to make sure that you get up a little bit earlier, make sure you give yourself plenty of extra travel time.”

High winds in these counties may also blow snow over the roads in spots creating more work for plows.

McFarland warns that drivers should be mindful to give the plow drivers plenty of room to work, staying several hundred feet behind the trucks.

“You’re definitely going to see one, so make sure you don’t crowd the plow,” she said. “Give them plenty of room to work.”