Map Shows States Bracing for Lake-Effect Snow as Up to 3 Feet Projected

Three states are bracing for lake-effect snow starting on Wednesday and extending until Sunday in some regions, the National Weather Service (NWS) warns.

Newsweek has contacted the NWS via email for additional comment.

Why It Matters

With 2 to 3 feet possible, portions of Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York state are under the lake-effect snow warning for the first days of the new year as the holiday travel period ends.

The NWS says "heavy" lake-effect snow is projected to bring up to 20 inches of snow in areas of upstate New York by Thursday. Additional bands of the lake-effect snow could bring the total to 3 feet.

What To Know

Following are the snow projections for the three states:

Ohio: Geauga County is projected to get 8 to 14 inches of snow by Thursday night, the NWS says. Ashtabula Inland County, Lake County and eastern portions of Cuyahoga County are expected to get anywhere from 6 to 10 inches by Thursday night. Western Cuyahoga County may see 2 to 5 inches of snow, the NWS says.

New York: Both Herkimer and Hamilton counties could see 6 inches to a foot of snow by Saturday. Northern portions of Cayuga County and Oswego, Jefferson and Lewis counties may see 2 to 3 feet of snow by Sunday evening, the NWS says. Southern Erie County and Wyoming, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties may see 1 to 2 feet of snow by Sunday evening.

Madison, northern Oneida and Onondaga counties may see over 2 feet of snow by Sunday, according to the NWS. In southern portions of Cayuga County, 6 inches to a foot of snow is possible.

Nearly 2 feet of lake-effect snow is pictured in Hamburg, New York, on December 1. Portions of Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania are bracing for lake-effect snow starting Wednesday and continuing until Sunday. Photo by John Normile/Getty Images

Pennsylvania: Warren County is expected to get 4 to 10 inches by Sunday, according to the NWS. Crawford County and northern and southern Erie Country may see 8 to 20 inches of snow by Thursday, with up to 3 feet by Sunday, the NWS says.

What People Are Saying

NWS Albany posted about the expected lake-effect snow on X (formerly Twitter), saying: "We are expecting rain tonight for lower elevations, but high terrain areas will see more in the way of snow. Then, lake effect snow is expected across the western ADKs and western Mohawk Valley through Sunday, where several inches to over a foot of snow will be possible."

NWS Cleveland also posted about the snow on X saying: "Another round of wet weather is arriving today. Rain changes to snow tonight with a bit of light, slushy accumulation possible. Lake effect snow kicks in starting Wednesday, with Lake Effect Snow Warnings & Winter Storm Watches in effect for the 'primary snowbelt.'"

What Happens Next

The lake-effect snow warnings for the three states will expire by Sunday night, the NWS says.