Winter weather ahead: Cleveland area could see six inches of lake effect snow

CLEVELAND, Ohio—Winter weather is on the way. A cold front from the north is expected to bring heavy lake effect snow to the areas along the eastern shores and inland areas of Lake Erie.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather warning for Cuyahoga, Ashtabula, Geauga, and Lake counties in Ohio and Erie County in Pennsylvania beginning Monday at 10 p.m. until Wednesday morning.

Northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania can expect lake effect snow beginning Monday and continuing through Tuesday with accumulation up to a foot or more.

Periods of light to moderate lake effect snow are predicted in Ashtabula, Geauga and lake Counties beginning Monday morning, and may impact the morning and evening commutes, especially on Tuesday.

The heaviest snow and most significant impacts are expected Monday night through Tuesday, where snowfall is expected at rates of 1-2 inches per hour with accumulation of 5-12 inches.

In Cuyahoga county and the city of Cleveland, the greatest snow accumulations are expected across eastern portions of the county.

Cuyahoga county residents should expect wind gusts of up to 35 miles per hour along with as much as 6 inches of snow accumulation. Accumulations through the day on Monday are expected to be minimal, but the snow is expected to push south into the area Monday night into Tuesday morning, with rates in excess of 1 inch per hour possible.

Nearby Northern Erie and Southern Erie counties in Pennsylvania will be the hardest hit, with snow accumulations from 10-18 inches. Travel through these areas could be difficult to impossible.

In addition, there is a small craft advisory from 1 am Monday to 1am Wednesday for the nearshore waters of Lake Erie from Vermilion OH to Ripley, NY.

West winds of 20 to 25 knots and waves 6 to 9 feet expected.