Brad Gilbert, Emergency Management Agency director for Wood County, has issued the following advisory:
WINTER HAS ARRIVED! A series of storm systems will be moving through the lower Great Lakes from tonight through Sunday will bring winter weather headaches to NW Ohio.
TONIGHT/WEDNESDAY MORNING:
A smaller atmospheric disturbance will be moving through the area tonight and into Wednesday morning. Snow flurries/snow showers are likely; however, there will be some areas that will experience some freezing drizzle as well due to some warmer air trying to move into the mid atmosphere. Some surfaces could be slippery overnight and for the Wednesday morning commute.
THURSDAY/THURSDAY NIGHT:
A storm system with a little more energy will move through the area and bring 2” to 3” of new snow to the area. Snow will likely start Thursday morning and continue into Thursday evening before tapering off in the overnight hours to Friday morning.
SATURDAY/SUNDAY:
As most people have heard by now, a much stronger storm system is set to take aim at the lower Great Lakes and Ohio Valley on Saturday. Forecast models are still not in total agreement on the exact storm track, so we will have to wait until Thursday likely before an exact storm track can be determined. For planning purposes at this time, confidence is high for the Wood County area to be in the 3” to 6” snowfall range. Again, final storm track determination may cause this estimated total to go up or down from 3” to 6”. An equal concern will be winds with this storm system. Winds will increase throughout the day on Saturday with gusts reach 20, 25, or even 30 mph at times by evening and into the overnight hours. The overnight hours and early morning hours of Sunday could even see wind gusts at times to near 40 mph. Even though snowfall will diminish in the overnight hours (Saturday to Sunday), please plan on Sunday being difficult travel with blowing/drifting snow with whiteout conditions possible at times…especially in the morning hours and outside of city areas. We may get some sunshine by late afternoon on Sunday, but the winds and bitterly cold polar air will not help with travel conditions. The coldest air of the season will settle into the area for late Sunday into Monday with overnight lows just below zero. Travel will become difficult at times on Saturday and may continue into Sunday with the winds, so please use extra caution when planning any travel for the weekend.
