Holiday travelers take heed. A winter storm watch has been issued for parts of northern Ohio beginning Thanksgiving morning and extending through Friday evening. The areas within the watch include Lake,

Michigan's Alger County is expected to see snow accumulations between 4 and 13 inches of snow and hazardous conditions that will affect holiday travel, according to a blizzard warning for the area that is in effect until 7 p.m. Eastern time as of reporting.

The Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), released its long-range forecast for December 2025 through February 2026 on Thursday. The outlook tells two different stories: a cold, wet winter for some states versus a hot, dry season for others.

Heavy lake-effect snow will continue across Northeast Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania through tonight, with an additional 6 to 12 inches possible in the warning areas. Forecasters warn of hazardous travel,

La Niña tends to create wetter than normal winter conditions for Ohio and portions of nearby states, according to a map from the CPC. Most of Ohio may experience more precipitation than usual this winter, according to a CPC forecast released Oct. 16.

Metro Detroit will move from bitter cold to potentially disruptive snowfall this weekend, creating significant travel concerns during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. A developing winter storm is expected to bring widespread accumulating snow Saturday afternoon through early Sunday.

The NWS has said the storm was one of the most unique and damaging winter storms on record, with blizzard conditions, crushingly cold temperatures, heavy snow, and fierce winds spanning 22 states.