High pressure will bring sunshine, although cold temperatures to the Valley today. Despite a decent amount of sunshine, temperatures will top out at around freezing. Clouds will increase late in the day as a large and strong storm system approaches the Great Lakes region. The storm will bring minor winter weather impacts to our area tonight through early Sunday morning.
FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY
A large and strengthening storm system will travel through the Great Lakes region bringing a variety of wintry impacts to the Valley tonight through Sunday. Not much has changed since previous forecasts for us locally. Initially, enough cold air will be in place that precipitation starts out as snow late tonight. Warmer air at the mid-level will work in on Saturday morning allowing for a period of sleet and/or freezing rain before all precipitation changes over to rain. A cold rain will continue into Saturday afternoon and evening. Arctic air will wrap around behind the parent low pressure Saturday night causing rain to transition back to snow showers.
Strong gusty wind will develop along and behind the cold front Saturday night and persist into Sunday. Wind gusts in the 20 to 30 mph range can be expected locally.
LOCAL IMPACTS
The storm will bring minor winter weather impacts to the area including slick travel conditions due to snow and freezing rain. If you must travel to work Saturday morning it may be slow-going. Note that winter storm impacts will be greater in Ohio as you travel north and west.
Ice accretion locally is expected to be under 0.10-inch. This may bring down small tree limbs and create slick roads and walkways. It will also create a coating of ice on any snow on the ground. Wind gusts may cause blowing snow and reduced visibility.
As temperatures plummet to the teens early Sunday morning any standing water from snowmelt and rain will likely freeze leaving slick spots on roads and walkways.
LOCAL TIMING
Current model projections bring snow showers into the area around midnight tonight with snow continuing through sunrise Saturday. There will be a brief period of freezing rain/sleet for a few hours followed by rain during the afternoon and evening.
SNOW ACCUMULATION
The majority of snow with the storm will occur tonight into early Saturday morning. Snow accumulation will be greater in northern portions of the Valley with somewhat lesser amounts as you travel south. Snowfall rates can be moderate to heavy at times tonight. Snow accumulation will depend on how early in the morning the transition to sleet/freezing rain occurs.
A good portion of the snow on the ground Saturday morning, if not all, will likely melt as temperatures warm to the low/mid 40s and rain occurs Saturday afternoon. Additional light snow accumulation is expected Saturday night for a few hours mainly between 10:00 PM and 1:00 AM.
SUNDAY
Snow is not expected locally during the daytime hours on Sunday. However, temperatures will be much colder. Afternoon highs will only reach the mid-20s. Blustery west winds will keep wind chills in the single digits to low teens.
NEXT WEEK
Generally, dry conditions return to the Valley for the first part of the week. Temperatures will be colder than average Monday and Tuesday before moderating some by Wednesday.
UPDATES
I’ll post updates here later today and through the weekend as needed. I will also update the 7-Day Forecast throughout the weekend so you have the latest information available. Always check TuscWeather.net first for up-to-the-minute LOCAL weather forecasts. You can also subscribe to updates or follow our Twitter Feed for hourly reports.
