INDIANA, OHIO, AND MICHIGAN — A second clipper system is being watched for Thursday night into Friday morning, and while some areas may only see light snow, the bigger travel issue could be freezing drizzle across parts of Indiana, with higher, lake-enhanced snow totals possible downwind of the Great Lakes in portions of Ohio and Michigan.
Why This Clipper Matters After the First One
The outlook describes the Tuesday clipper as the “first of more to come,” with another fast-moving system lining up late week. Clippers often don’t produce blockbuster snow totals across the entire region, but they can create uneven impacts: a narrow corridor gets steadier snow, another area deals with a light glaze, and lake-driven bands can boost totals in favored spots.
That’s why even a “light” system can still create a messy commute, especially if temperatures sit near freezing during the overnight and early morning hours.
Freezing Drizzle Could Be the Main Hazard in Indiana
The forecast map places a long, diagonal zone labeled “freezing drizzle” across much of Indiana, stretching from near the Chicago/northwest Indiana area through central Indiana and toward the Ohio River valley. Freezing drizzle is a high-impact hazard because it can create slick roads quickly without heavy precipitation showing up on radar.
This is the kind of setup where totals may look small on paper, yet untreated roads, ramps, and bridges can turn hazardous, especially late Thursday night into Friday morning when surface temperatures are coldest.
Ohio and Michigan Could See Higher Totals in Lake-Enhanced Areas
While Indiana trends toward the ice-type concern, the snow map shows higher snowfall potential across parts of Ohio and Michigan, particularly where lake enhancement can kick in. The graphic highlights a zone of lake-enhanced totals aimed into Northeast Ohio, with the higher end of the color shading clustering closer to the Great Lakes shoreline and snowbelt areas…