CLEVELAND, Ohio – Northern Ohio’s mild start to November will quickly give way to colder air and a growing threat of lake-effect snow between November 9 and 15. The Great Lakes region is bracing for a sharp transition to early winter as Arctic air surges south and picks up moisture from Lake Erie.
According to the NOAA Climate Prediction Center, temperatures across Ohio will trend below normal through mid-November, while precipitation runs above normal near the lake. That combination typically signals active lake-effect snow potential for Cuyahoga, Lake, Ashtabula, Erie, and Lorain counties, where brief but intense squalls could reduce visibility and coat roads during overnight and early morning hours.
The National Weather Service in Cleveland reports that a strong cold front early next week will bring a quick burst of rain followed by a switch to snow as temperatures fall into the 30s. Gusty northwest winds over Lake Erie could generate several rounds of snow showers lasting into the following weekend, especially east of Cleveland and along I-90 and Route 2.
Residents are urged to winterize now — check furnaces, clean gutters, and ensure vehicles are snow-ready before the colder pattern locks in. Motorists should also prepare for rapidly changing travel conditions, especially during bursts of lake-effect snow.
Utility crews across the region are on alert for potential early-season power outages caused by wet, heavy snow on trees and lines. With Thanksgiving less than three weeks away, northern Ohio’s pattern shift marks the unofficial arrival of winter across the Great Lakes.
