Cleveland, OH – Millions of Great Lakes travelers should prepare for a wet and wintry stretch of weather from Wednesday through Black Friday, with rain, falling temperatures, and lake-effect snow expected across Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo, according to new national forecast maps from the Weather Prediction Center.
According to the WPC, widespread rain will spread across the region early Wednesday, impacting major interstates including I-75 through Detroit, I-90 across Cleveland and Buffalo, and I-79 into Pittsburgh. Steady rainfall is expected through much of the afternoon, which may slow traffic significantly on one of the busiest travel days of the year.
As colder air sweeps in Wednesday night into Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 27, 2025), rain transitions to snow across the eastern Great Lakes. Cleveland and Buffalo sit squarely in the lake-effect zones, where bursts of heavier snow may create slick roads and reduced visibility, particularly along I-90 between Ashtabula and western New York. Pittsburgh may see scattered flurries or light snow with limited accumulation, while Detroit is expected to experience more scattered, lighter snow showers.
Buffalo and the western New York snowbelt face some of the highest impacts, with persistent lake-effect bands possible through Thanksgiving Day. Cleveland’s east side may also see localized lake-effect snow.
By Black Friday (November 28, 2025), additional cold air reinforces the lake-effect pattern. Snow showers may continue across northern Ohio, western New York, and northwest Pennsylvania through the morning. Early shoppers in Cleveland, Erie, and Buffalo should be prepared for slick roads and sudden visibility drops.
Travelers across Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo should monitor updated advisories and plan for extra travel time throughout the holiday period.
