Light snow showers Tuesday, accumulating snow expected Friday in Northeast Ohio

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The snow shovels may get another brief workout before the week is over — and the timing could complicate the Friday morning commute.

After snow showers Tuesday and a brief midweek lull, Northeast Ohio is on track for a round of accumulating snow Friday as a clipper system moves through the Great Lakes.

The late-week system will be followed by another surge of Arctic air, keeping temperatures well below normal this weekend and setting the stage for additional lake-effect snow chances.

Light snow Tuesday, brief lull midweek

Snow showers will continue at times Tuesday as a weak cold front moves across the region. While much of the snow will be light, forecasters say a brief heavier burst is possible along the front, which could lead to slick conditions on untreated roads.

Additional accumulation today is expected to remain around an inch or less, according to the National Weather Service Cleveland.

High temperatures Tuesday will reach the mid to upper 20s before colder air settles back into the region tonight. Overnight lows are expected to fall into the single digits, with clearing skies allowing temperatures to drop quickly after sunset.

Wednesday and Thursday are expected to be mostly quiet, with dry conditions favored across much of Northeast Ohio. Highs Wednesday will struggle to reach the upper teens to lower 20s, while Thursday will be slightly milder, with temperatures climbing into the 20s ahead of the next system.

Overnight lows Wednesday are expected to dip back into the single digits, while Thursday night lows will be in the teens thanks to increasing cloud cover ahead of the next system.

Accumulating snow expected Friday

Snow is expected to develop late Thursday night and become widespread Friday as an Arctic front moves southeast through the Great Lakes.

Meteorologists at WKYC say the snow is most likely to impact the Friday morning commute before tapering off later in the day, with some lake-effect snow possible behind the system.

The National Weather Service in Cleveland currently expects roughly 1 to 4 inches of snow across Northeast Ohio, with the highest totals most likely in higher terrain east of Cleveland, where upslope flow could enhance snowfall.

Much colder air follows into the weekend

Colder air will pour in behind Friday’s system, ushering in another stretch of bitter winter weather for the weekend.

Scattered lake-effect snow showers are possible Friday night through Saturday, though significant accumulations are not expected due to extensive ice coverage on Lake Erie.

Forecasters say subzero wind chills are possible at times Saturday through Monday as Arctic high pressure settles over the region. Dry but very cold conditions are expected to round out the weekend before temperatures begin to moderate slightly early next week.