The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its official 2025-26 winter weather outlook on Thursday, and the forecast for Northeast Ohio raises eyebrows, especially for snow lovers.
NOAA’s official forecast calls for above-average precipitation in an area spanning from eastern Missouri and western Kentucky to Indiana and into much of Ohio. A higher probability of above-average precipitation lies west of Interstate 77 in Northeast Ohio. With more precipitation expected, does that automatically mean it will be a snowy winter?
Not so fast…
Just last winter, NOAA’s forecast for winter 2024-25 called for slightly above-average precipitation. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, the official National Weather Service reporting site for Cleveland, did receive above-average precipitation, nearly one inch above, in fact. Yet, it saw much below-average snowfall, almost 15 inches below normal. Precipitation does not always equate to snowfall, and several factors determine whether the surge in moisture results in more rain, snow, or both…