Punishing Winter Storm Expected To Hit Ohio This Weekend

A punishing winter storm is expected to hit Ohio this weekend. There could be a "significant" snowfall in the region, according to the National Weather Service.

A low pressure system should move through the Ohio Valley on Saturday, bringing with it the possibility of major snowfall. For much of Ohio, this could be the first major storm of winter.

The snow is expected to fall Saturday and Sunday and should pummel North Central Ohio, Northeast Ohio, Northwest Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania. Forecasters are calling for as much as 14 inches of snow in neighboring Pittsburgh.

The forecasts released thus far vary from region to region. North Central Ohio could get as much as 8 inches of snow (or as little as 4 inches); Pittsburgh could get the aforementioned 14 inches.

The National Weather Service has not yet issued projections for snowfall in Northeast or Northwest Ohio, but residents should plan on dealing with a major winter storm this weekend. Patch will provide the expected snowfall totals as soon as they are available.

The NWS has predicted that there is a 100 percent chance of snow on Saturday and Saturday night, as temperatures plunge toward a low of 18 degrees. Current forecasts are also calling for blustery wind gusts to hit 18 mph, which will further worsen conditions on the roads.

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The storm should pass through the region by Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday. There's currently a 50 percent chance of snow showers on Monday morning, but the rest of the day should be clear and sunny, if freezing cold. Monday's temperature low could be in the single digits.

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