While surrounding areas are being battered by ice and snow, the Mid-Ohio Valley will mostly see rain.
Tim Axford, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Charleston, W.Va., said the area will be affected by two different storm systems during the next several days.
The first storm system, which is dumping snow, icing roads and even producing damaging weather such as tornadoes, has largely moved around the Mid-Ohio Valley.
"This is a strong, low-pressure system centered over Kentucky. It is going to push over top of the area and bring mostly rain," he said Wednesday.
The rain came even as nearby areas, such as Columbus and Zanesville, saw snow or a mix of rain and snow.
"In that relatively short distance there is quite a bit of difference," he said. "You are seeing a sharp line between the areas of rain and snow."
The rain is expected to turn to snow overnight in the area and the surrounding area as temperatures drop to slightly below freezing. Axford said the area could see 1-2 inches of snow overnight, and wet areas could be subject to freezing.
"It won't be a heavy snow, but there is a high chance with low accumulation," he said. The dip in temperatures "is certainly enough to freeze up some water on the roads, especially on the bridges and overpasses, so be cautious."
The snow is expected to taper off before noon today, and Axford said late today and throughout Friday the temperatures should rise slightly, possibly into the low 40s.
"We should have a little bit of a break on Friday," he said. "You may even see the sun peeking out a bit."
Saturday, however, will bring a new storm system to the area as a clipper system and a low pressure system combine over the area.
"As these systems combine, there will be more cold air in place for us in West Virginia and the Mid-Ohio Valley," Axford said. "That could mean some accumulating snowfall. It looks like the best chance for snow would be late Saturday morning and going into the afternoon."
Around Ohio
Strong winds and snow whipped across Ohio roads, causing accidents, lane closures and emergency travel restrictions, and grounded some flights Wednesday as a major storm system pushed through on its way to the Northeast.
The northern part of the state, including Cleveland and Ashtabula, had been under a blizzard warning earlier Wednesday. The National Weather Service later canceled the warning and issued a winter weather advisory. The system still was expected to bring up to four inches of evening snow, and wind gust could reach 30 mph.
Conditions eased in southern parts of the state, but forecasters warned that freezing temperatures overnight could result in icy roads for Thursday morning drivers.
Dozens of flights at airports from Dayton to Cleveland were canceled or delayed, with more expected as some 900 flights nationwide were canceled. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport spokesman Todd Payne cautioned travelers to check with their airlines.
Early indications were that day-after-Christmas mall traffic was down, too, with people holding off in the weather on returning that ugly sweater or other unwanted gifts.
"I can't feel my feet, and the ice is hurting when it hits my face," said Tracy Flint, a Columbus hair stylist, who was trudging across a shopping center parking lot to get to work.
