Winter Storm Watch: Snowfall Predictions For Northern Ohio

OHIO — More than 8 inches of snow is likely to fall on much of northern Ohio between Wednesday afternoon and Friday morning, according to new forecasts.

"Rain will transition to snow Wednesday afternoon or evening. The heaviest snow accumulations and greatest impacts may occur Thursday into Thursday night. Snow may mix with sleet or freezing rain late Wednesday night or Thursday," the National Weather Service said.

While exact snowfall predictions are still being firmed up, the agency is expecting "major impacts" for drivers on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning.

A winter storm watch will go into place Wednesday afternoon in the following counties: Erie, Lorain, Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, Ashtabula, and Huron. The storm watch will not expire until at least Friday morning.

Here's the current forecast for the week, including some preliminary snowfall predictions from the National Weather Service:

Tuesday — Partly sunny with a high of 40 and a low of 35.

Wednesday — Rain is possible during the afternoon, with a daytime high of 38 expected. As temperatures drop overnight, rain will turn to snow and between 2 and 4 inches could fall.

Thursday — Thick, heavy snow could fall throughout the day. Communities could see between 3 and 7 inches of snow during the day. Additional snow could fall overnight, though it's unclear how much accumulation Ohioans should expect during that time.

Friday — Snow could continue through the morning but should taper off by 1 p.m. Temperatures will drop into the single digits overnight, but no additional snow is currently expected Friday night or over the weekend.

This could be the second major snow event of the winter for northern Ohioans. Most communities saw 12 inches or more of snow between Jan. 16 and Jan. 17. Freezing temperatures continued throughout January, so much of that significant snowfall remains on the ground.