OHIO — A developing coastal storm system could bring the threat of impactful winter weather to parts of the Ohio Valley, including Ohio, early next week, according to the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center.
Forecasters say a rapidly strengthening low-pressure system is expected to form near the Mid-Atlantic coast Sunday into Monday, with the exact track still uncertain. That track will play a key role in determining how much wintry precipitation reaches inland areas such as Ohio.
If the storm tracks closer to the coast and then moves inland, colder air wrapping around the system could allow snow or a mix of wintry precipitation to extend into portions of the Ohio Valley. However, if the storm stays farther offshore, impacts in Ohio would likely be more limited, with lighter precipitation and weaker winds.
Meteorologists note that even small changes in the storm’s path could significantly alter snowfall totals and impacts across the region.
In addition to the potential storm system, a broader pattern shift is expected to bring much colder air into the eastern United States behind the system. High temperatures could run 10 to 20 degrees below late-February averages across parts of the Ohio Valley by Monday, keeping conditions chilly into Tuesday.
Longer-range guidance also suggests another round of unsettled weather may move through the Great Lakes and possibly the Ohio Valley by the middle of next week, bringing additional chances for wintry precipitation.
Forecasters emphasize that confidence in specific impacts remains moderate at this time due to ongoing model disagreement, and residents in Ohio are encouraged to monitor updated forecasts as the system develops.
