Winter looks to return with a vengeance to Akron.
Maybe it’s payback for those who complained about a lack of snow and cold weather this winter.
Either way, it looks like Akron is about to get its heaviest dose of snow so far.
Calling a low pressure system bearing down on Ohio “complex,” the National Weather Service warns the snowflakes are expected to begin to fly Monday evening in Northeast Ohio.
And by the time things settle down from the initial storm, anywhere from 5 to 9 inches of snow could be on the ground by Tuesday evening.
A winter storm watch is in effect from Monday afternoon through Wednesday evening.
This is expected to be an equal opportunity snowfall with heavier amounts expected to fall north of Interstate 76.
The weather service says some of these snowfall amounts could be reduced if rain mixes in the early stages of the winter storm.
Snow could be heavy at times, the weather service warns, making driving conditions difficult with “poor visibility and snow-covered roads.”
Winds are expected to be 10 to 20 miles per hour with gusts up to 35 mph.
There could be some additional snow thanks to a warm Lake Erie on Wednesday, but the weather service says it is still too early to tell exactly where those lake-effect snow bands will set up.
The culprit is a low-pressure system that is expected to track through the Ohio Valley.
The worst-case scenario could see as much as 15 inches on the ground in parts of Northeast Ohio by Thursday.
Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing until Friday, when the high could reach 40.
Craig Webb, who just writes about weather but can’t control it, can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3547.