Thanksgiving could see snow and difficult traveling conditions starting this afternoon through Friday afternoon.
According to the National Weather Service, Summit and northern Portage counties are under a winter weather advisory 1 p.m. today through 7 p.m. Friday.
Lake effect snow is expected, with total snow accumulations of 3 to 6 inches across northern Summit County, northern Portage County, and northern and central Trumbull County. Amounts will decrease farther south across the area.
Wind gusts as high as 40 mph are expected. The heaviest snow is expected tonight into early Friday as snow bands sag south into the area from the north. Snowfall rates will likely reach 1 inch per hour at times within the bands tonight.
Travel could be difficult, with hazardous conditions possibly impacting travel Thursday evening and Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
The Ohio Department of Transportation and Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission strongly encourage motorists to heed all travel restrictions and delay unnecessary travel. Visit www.ohgo.com for the latest travel, roadway, and traffic conditions.
During lake effect snow, the weather can vary from bands of locally heavy snow to dry weather just a few miles away. Visibilities can also vary greatly. Be prepared for rapid changes in weather, visibility, and road conditions.
Vehicle preparations, safe driving tips offered by AAA
AAA East Central offers the following tips for driving in winter weather:
To prepare a vehicle for the winter ahead, AAA recommends the following tips:
More AAA winter car care tips can be found at https://exchange.aaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Winter-Car-Care-Checklist1.pdf.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Thanksgiving Day weather advisory issued for Summit, Portage counties
Reporting by April Helms, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
