Cleveland, OH
Watches, warnings and advisories… oh my!
Winter time is upon us soon, and that means a whole assortment of weather in Northeast Ohio. We have snow, sleet, rain, freezing rain, blizzards, snow squalls, and, of course, the infamous lake-effect snow.
There are many warnings, watches and advisories used to convey what folks need to prepare for. Do you know what a “Winter Weather Advisory” and “Winter Storm Warning” Mean?
Well, let me be your guide!
First off, all of these warnings, watches and advisories originate from the National Weather Service, specifically, the office in Cleveland for most of the News 5 Viewing Area. Two counties are under the Pittsburgh National Weather Service office: Tuscarawas and Carroll.
The most common alert across Northeast Ohio is the Winter Weather Advisory. This is kind of a catch-all for winter weather in a sense. These are issued if possible snow accumulations of 4 inches, and or any freezing rain accumulations less than ¼ inch for any county.
Every county can be under most winter warnings, advisories and watches. But there are only certain counties that can be under Lake-Effect Snow Warnings. Primarily, they are Ashtabula, Lake, Geauga, and Cuyahoga, the areas where most lake-effect snow occurs. It can be issued for any of our northernmost areas.
The criteria to be put under a Lake-Effect Snow Warning are if lake-effect snow accumulations of 6 inches or greater are anticipated.
Now, Winter Storm Watches and Warnings, too, are kind of a catch-all for winter weather, just in a more impactful way. A winter storm watch is issued for potential for a blizzard, heavy snowfall, or ice storm within the next 18 to 48 hours, issued when there is a 50% confidence or greater of at least 6 inches of snow and/or a ¼ inch of ice.
A Winter Storm Warning is issued for snow accumulations of 6 inches or greater; Freezing rain accumulations of ¼ inch or greater are imminent.
Now you noticed the word “blizzard” in the winter storm watch and warning. Well, it too has criteria, and it is probably more specific than you realize.
To have an actual blizzard, according to the National Weather Service definition, you need sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or greater AND falling/blowing snow reducing visibility to less than ¼ mile for at least three hours. That’s right, you don’t need falling snow to have a blizzard. A blizzard is a visibility concern, rather than a snowfall or accumulation concern.
People will only see blizzard warnings once in a great while here in Northeast Ohio, but we will see a “Snow Squall Warning” several times a winter, which gets confused for a blizzard.
You need a short-duration (less than 1 hour), polygon-based warning (like severe thunderstorms and tornadoes) that is issued when strong snow squalls and flash freezing will cause dangerous and life-threatening conditions, especially for roadways. Usually issued when ground/road temperatures are sub-freezing and visibility is less than ¼ mile.
An Ice Storm Warning is issued when freezing rain accumulations of ¼ inch or greater result in significant, widespread power outages, tree damage and dangerous travel. A warning that is not that common across Northeast Ohio, but can happen if conditions are right.
Now we’ve talked about winter precipitation problems. But cold air can be a problem for folks. Now, in years past, we had two ways to describe cold: the actual air temperature and the wind chill. In the last year, the National Weather Service has combined both into one advisory, watch and warning.
So, an Extreme Cold Watch is issued when a wind chill or temperature of -25ºF or colder is anticipated within the next 18 to 48 hours, and an Extreme Cold Warning is issued when -25°F or lower wind chills or temperatures are imminent. A Cold Advisory is issued when temperatures or wind chill of -15ºF to -24ºF are imminent.
So there you have it, all of the winter-season watches, warnings and advisories. Quite a list for sure, but keep in mind, Mother Nature is in charge, and does not abide by our lines on a map.
So you will need to stay weather-aware, and the Power of 5 Meteorologists will always keep you informed and ahead of the ever-changing weather this winter across Northeast Ohio.
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Cleveland, OH
Arraignment for teen accused of murder at Cleveland deli
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The 17-year-old boy accused of a deadly shooting at a Cleveland deli, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Thursday.
Royal King was indicted on the charges of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, carrying concealed weapons, and improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle.
King will continue being held on a $1 million bond at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Facility.
He will return to court on March 2 for a pre-trial.
King is accused of killing Jahari Stegall, 17, on Sept. 19, 2025 at the E. 185th Deli in the city’s Northshore Collinwood neighborhood.
PREVIOUS STORY: Teen identified after shooting death at Cleveland deli
King allegedly drove to the deli in a stolen car and walked through the aisles.
Security cameras then show Stegall walking through the parking lot.
King allegedly met Stegall at the door with a gun in his hand and shot him in the back of the head before fleeing the scene.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said Stegall was a good kid who barely knew King.
U.S. Marshals arrested King on Oct. 29, 2025 at home on E. 147th Street in Cleveland.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Cleveland, OH
Ohio EMA expanding traveler alert system
OHIO — The Ohio Emergency Management Agency, in partnership with the National Weather Service offices in Wilmington and Cleveland, is partnering with Lamar Advertising to help expand the Ohio Traveler Alert System to more parts of the state.
Ohio EMA said the system will soon include areas of greater Cleveland, Toledo and the Cincinnati Metropolitan area.
“Severe weather can make driving difficult and dangerous,” said Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio. “By expanding the Ohio Traveler Alert System, our goal is to get critical weather alerts to more drivers in real-time.”
The system was launched in 2024 in the areas of Dayton and Columbus. If there’s severe weather, digital billboards display messages alerting travelers about certain conditions, such as high winds, snow squalls, ice and flooding.
“Collaborations like these are the backbone of community safety,” said Sima Merick, Ohio Emergency Management Agency executive director. “When we work together, we strengthen our ability to protect the people we serve. OTAS is a prime example of these partnerships.”
Ohio EMA said the communication and messaging on billboards is not only an effective way to communicate to Ohio residents but also to travelers who may not be familiar with the area.
Cleveland, OH
Iman Shumpert Claims Kyrie Irving Left The Cavaliers To Beat LeBron James
Former NBA guard Iman Shumpert played an important role in the Cavaliers securing their only championship in franchise history. He was there to help them win it all, and he was there to watch it fall apart when Kyrie Irving forced a trade to the Celtics in 2017. In a recent appearance on ‘Club Shay Shay,’ the former Cavs guard broke down what really pushed Irving out of Cleveland, and why he wasn’t surprised that he wanted to leave.
“Hell nah. Kyrie is a Kobe guy,” said Shumpert. “Kyrie wanted to beat LeBron, and that’s okay. People like to say ‘Oh, that was dumb’ because you’re a team-up kind of guy. That’s not Kyrie. Kyrie is like ‘The only way I can be crowned the best is if I beat the best. I got to go head-to-head with you; I can’t team up with you.”
It’s easy to forget now, but Irving was once the star of the show in Cleveland. In the years before LeBron’s arrival, he was the only hope for the Cavaliers and was treated like an MVP because of it. When LeBron arrived, all that changed, and it was something that Irving never fully accepted.
“Let’s say you got your momma’s crib. And then they just bring you a new brother,” Shumpert added. “Then your momma’s like ‘Well, you were the one to get the house key and do whatever you want, but now you don’t get to drive the car.’ For people not to understand that’s what happened, and then be like ‘Oh, he should have put his pride to the side.’ Why?”
Irving didn’t leave the Cavaliers because he hated LeBron. He left because he wanted to do his own thing and build his legacy outside No. 23’s shadow. As a longtime Kobe fan, he’s competitive at heart and would rather go against his competitors than join forces with them.
So while Irving made the most of his stint with James (one championship in three Finals appearances with the Cavs), he was never in it for the long haul. Playing alongside LeBron was something he never signed up for, even though he remains on good terms with the basketball legend today.
Shumpert Gets Real On Playing With LeBron
Irving ended his partnership with James early, and it’s something critics still talk about today. When people often forget, however, is that it’s not so easy to play with the King. Besides his enormous presence, he holds everyone accountable with his sky-high basketball IQ. In the end, however, it’s all for the best as he makes everyone better on the court.
“He is Chat GPT of the NBA,” said Shumpert on James. “This is the best way I could describe [him]. You can ask him anything, he knows. He knows the coaches, he knows the assistant coaches, he knows the player development coach. I don’t even have the mental capacity for all that sh*t. It took about a month for me to get used to him saying ‘X1, X2, X3, X4,’ he is really programmed for this. I never dealt with somebody who had the balls enough to look a coach in the eye and say, ‘I’m not running that.’”
James doesn’t just dominate with his physical skill and size. He uses his mind to get ahead of opponents and exploit their biggest flaws. With an unmatched mental game, James frequently outsmarts the enemy, and it’s the secret to his unprecedented NBA longevity.
In the end, Kyrie got to experience the best of both worlds. He played and won with LeBron James in the city where he was drafted. It taught him a lot and put his name in the history books. But Kyrie wanted more, and going out on his own was the best way to ensure he could play out his career on his own terms.
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