CLEVELAND — The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for counties in Northeast Ohio from 7 a.m. on Friday to 1 a.m. on Saturday.
The following counties are under the advisory:
- Ashland
- Ashtabula
- Cuyahoga
- Erie
- Geauga
- Holmes
- Huron
- Lake
- Lorain
- Medina
- Portage
- Richland
- Stark
- Summit
- Wayne
According to News 5 Meteorologists, there will be two rounds of snow on Friday. We could see between 1 and 4 inches of accumulation.
Watch the latest forecast:
Forecast: Bookending our Friday with snow during the commutes
The first round will include a clipper from 6 a.m. through noon, with moderate to heavy bands. The snow will be slushy with temperatures closer to 30 degrees by afternoon. That means it'll be tougher to shovel. Roads will also be tougher to clear.
The second round will bring an arctic cold front from 4 p.m. through 10 p.m., with snow showers and snow squalls. Visibility and travel will be tricky with the wind picking up. Gusts could hit 40mph!
Cold streak
Today marks the 15th straight day with temperatures below freezing.
School closings and delays
As of 6:50 a.m., there are about two dozen closings and delays. CLICK HERE to see the list.
Snow Emergency issued
- Erie County — Level 2
- Huron County — Level 1
- Lorain County is under a Travel Advisory, which is new to the county's alert systems. See more below.
What is a Snow Emergency?
Snow Emergency classifications, according to the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness:
LEVEL 1: Roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Roads may also be icy. Motorists are urged to drive very cautiously.
LEVEL 2: Roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Roads may also be very icy. Only those who feel it is necessary to drive should be out on the roads. Contact your employer to see if you should report to work. Motorists should use extreme caution.
LEVEL 3: All roadways are closed to non-emergency personnel. No one should be driving during these conditions unless it is absolutely necessary to travel or a personal emergency exists. All employees should contact their employer to see if they should report to work. Those traveling on the roads may subject themselves to arrest.
Lorain County moves to a 2-tier system
The Lorain County Sheriff's Office is changing the way it declares snow emergencies. The sheriff's office will move away from traditional county-wide alerts you might be familiar with that use the Level 1, 2, and 3 system.
WATCH:
Traffic Alerts
Multiple crashes have already been reported this morning. You can see traffic impacts on the map below:
Cold Weather Advisory
A Cold Weather Advisory has been issued from 1 a.m. on Saturday to noon on Saturday across all of Northeast Ohio due to negative wind chills in the double digits.
Lake effect snow will then develop heading into Saturday. Lake Huron is still wide open, and Lake Erie has enough open water for fuel. That means additional snowfall is likely where squalls persist through Saturday afternoon.
Want the latest Power of 5 weather team updates wherever you go? Download the News 5 App free now: Apple|Android
Click here to view our interactive radar.
Follow the News 5 Weather Team:
Trent Magill: Facebook & Twitter
Katie McGraw: Facebook & Twitter
Phil Sakal: Facebook & Twitter
Allan Nosoff: Facebook & Twitter
