Cincinnati, OH – Lake-effect snow is expected to continue today across areas downwind of Lake Erie, with a broader mix of rain and snow arriving to the Ohio Valley this weekend, according to the National Weather Service’s Ohio River Forecast Center (OHRFC).
According to OHRFC, cold air passing over the warmer waters of Lake Erie is generating persistent lake-effect bands today, primarily affecting Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania. Conditions are expected to shift Saturday into Sunday as a low-pressure system moves across the region, bringing a wider area of snow and rain showers.
Forecasters say temperatures will hover near freezing in northern sections of the Ohio Valley, while southern portions will see rain as the system strengthens. Travel could become slick in areas experiencing steady lake-effect snow, especially during early morning and late evening hours.
Despite the active weather pattern, OHRFC reports that river flooding is not expected over the next 10 days. A newly released 10-day potential river level map shows nearly all monitoring points across the Ohio River Basin operating at normal flow levels. No locations are currently projected to reach action stage, minor flood stage, or higher.
The weather system arriving this weekend is expected to produce light to moderate precipitation, but not enough to create meaningful river rises across the basin, according to the agency.
Forecasters recommend that residents in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania monitor updates, particularly those living near the Lake Erie shoreline where snow bands may shift with wind direction.
More detailed local forecasts will be issued by National Weather Service offices across the region as the storm system approaches.
