Winter Storm Upgraded: 9-14 Inches Now Expected In Parts of Ohio

CLEVELAND — Parts of northern Ohio are now under a winter storm warning, with forecasts predicting communities could get between 9 and 14 inches of snow this week.

Most of northern Ohio was under a winter storm watch, but the counties along Lake Erie, between Toledo and Mentor, were upgraded to a winter storm warning on Tuesday. Those counties could get more than a foot of snow between Wednesday night and Friday morning, the National Weather Service warned.

Snowfall is expected to exceed one inch per hour, according to forecasts. In addition to the snowfall, northern Ohio will get a "light glaze from freezing rain," the National Weather Service said.

"Travel could be very difficult. Patchy blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute," the agency said.

The following counties are now under a winter storm warning: Erie, Lorain, Cuyahoga, Lake and Huron counties. The warning goes into effect at 7 p.m. Wednesday and remains in effect through 7 a.m. Friday.

Counties south of that line are under a winter storm watch during that same time. Here are the counties under a storm watch: Medina, Summit, Portage, Trumbull, Richland, Ashland, Wayne, Stark, Mahoning, Marion, Morrow, Holmes, and Knox.

The above-listed counties are expected to get between 5 and 10 inches of snow during the storm, the National Weather Service said. There will also be a freezing rain that will create potentially thick ice atop the snow.

Here's a day-by-day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Wednesday — Rain is likely after 9 a.m. Approximately 0.25 to 0.5 inches of rain could fall throughout the day. As temperatures drop overnight, rain will become snow. Between 1 and 3 inches could accumulate before Thursday morning.

Thursday — There is a 100-percent chance of snow on Thursday. Expect snowfall to be "heavy" at times, the National Weather Service said. Between 4 and 8 inches of snow could fall during the day. Winds of 11 to 15 mph could blow during the storm, making driving even more hazardous by reducing visibility. An additional 2 to 4 inches of snow could accumulate between Thursday night and Friday morning.

Friday — Snow is expected to taper off before late morning. Most of Friday will be cloudy but dry, according to forecasts. Expect a high of 21 and a low of 5 degrees.

The Ohio Department of Transportation is already warning northern Ohioans that travel during the storm could be "extremely difficult." Drivers should build extra time into their commutes and give plenty of space to other vehicles, especially snowplows, the department said.