Chilly pattern holds for Northeast Ohio, with light snow chances this weekend

CLEVELAND, Ohio — If you stepped outside early Friday, you felt it: bitter cold across Northeast Ohio as Arctic high pressure settled over the region, dropping many inland spots into the single digits.

The good news heading into the weekend is that temperatures will ease up a bit. The not-so-good news is they’ll still run below average — and a couple rounds of light snow are on the way.

Sunshine will mix with passing clouds Friday as the high shifts toward New England. Afternoon temperatures will struggle to reach the freezing mark, topping out in the upper 20s to lower 30s, according to the National Weather Service in Cleveland.

Overnight lows won’t be quite as harsh as Thursday night but will still fall into the teens to lower 20s.

Light snow possible Saturday, mainly in the snowbelt

A weak cold front trailing from a storm system over the Upper Great Lakes will slide in from the northwest on Saturday, bringing increasing clouds and the chance for a few light snow showers — mainly in the primary snowbelt east of Cleveland.

Most areas should stay dry and any accumulation looks minor, ranging from a dusting to perhaps an inch.

Highs Saturday across Northeast Ohio will reach the lower to mid 30s — 5 to 10 degrees lower than the daily normal of 43.

Clipper brings widespread light snow Sunday

A fast-moving clipper system will sweep through the Midwest and into the Upper Ohio Valley on Sunday, spreading light, steady snow across Northeast Ohio. Most areas can expect around 1 to 2 inches.

Temperatures will hover in the lower to mid 30s before falling late in the day as colder air arrives behind the clipper.

A brief period of lake-enhanced or light lake-effect snow may follow Sunday night, with another 1 to 2 inches possible in the snowbelt.

Active pattern continues next week

High pressure will build back in late Sunday night into Monday, ushering in another shot of Arctic air. Highs Monday will reach only the mid to upper 20s, with overnight lows dropping into the teens and single digits.

Temperatures may briefly rebound into the mid to upper 30s both Tuesday and Wednesday before the next clipper system arrives on Tuesday.

A stronger disturbance is expected to cross the Great Lakes Wednesday, bringing light to moderate precipitation — snow, a rain-snow mix, then snow again — though it’s too early to pin down amounts.

Another system late next week could carry more moisture and may be worth watching for a potentially higher-impact snow as the weekend approaches.