Winter Storm Hits Ohio: Snowfall Totals, Power Outages, Updates

OHIO — A winter storm hammered northern Ohio Sunday night and morning.

A winter storm warning is currently in place for much of northern Ohio, the National Weather Service said. An additional 3 to 5 inches of snow is possible for much of the region, and 30 mph wind gusts will further diminish visibility and make travel difficult.

“We implore you to stay home if you can. Road conditions across the area are treacherous and won’t improve until after snow stops,” the National Weather Service said in a plea shared on social media. The city of Cleveland also urged residents and commuters to stay home unless absolutely travel was absolutely necessary.

Numerous reports of stuck buses and cars have poured in from around Cleveland and other communities. The following counties issued snow emergencies Monday morning: Ashtabula, Coshocton, Erie, Holmes, Huron, Medina, Summit and Wayne. And, as mentioned above, Cleveland officials urged Ohioans to avoid the city due to heavy snowfall on streets.

Luckily, nearly all Ohio schools are closed Monday due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Of all the vehicles that could get stuck Monday, school buses should avoid the traps.

The Ohio Department of Transportation said it has more than 950 plows clearing roads and salting highways.

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority has suspended all rail and bus service.

Snowfall Everywhere

Snowfall began Sunday evening and could continue through 9 p.m. Monday, according to forecasts. The area between Cleveland and the Pennsylvania border was hardest hit, according to the National Weather Service. South Madison received approximately 20 inches overnight, while Jefferson got more than 17 inches, the agency said.

According to snowfall totals shared by the National Weather Service, Cleveland and the suburbs immediately south received nearly a foot of snow overnight. Cities west of Cleveland in Cuyahoga County received closer to 8 inches of snow, while cities east of Cleveland received approximately 10 inches.

Counties northeast of Cleveland, stretching along Lake Erie toward the Pennsylvania border, received between 12 and 15 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service. Parts of Ashtabula County received close to 16 or 17 inches of snow.

Snowfall will continue through Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service warned. Communities west of Cleveland will receive the least additional snowfall, forecasts said, with between 1 and 2 inches expected for most towns between Sandusky and Cuyahoga County. Another 2 to 4 inches if possible from Cleveland to Ashtabula County.

Power Outages?

One of the National Weather Service’s original concerns with this storm was possible power outages caused by “heavy” snowfall. The snow falling on Sunday night and Monday was dense with water content, making it heavy and clumpy, the opposite of fluffy light snow.

Luckily, as of 8:30 a.m. Monday, FirstEnergy reported only 236 outages across its coverage area. The majority of those outages are in Clark County, with scattered outages in Cuyahoga, Lucas, and Portage.

If you lose power, or know someone who has, you can report a power outage on the FirstEnergy website (using your phone, if necessary).