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45 mph plus winds are hitting Mahoning Valley tonight. Here’s how to prepare

By Kelcey Norris Mahoning Matters

Updated January 12, 2024 11:52 AM

Icicles dangle from pipes Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Cleveland are predicting a windy weekend in the Mahoning Valley and northeast Ohio.

Starting tonight, high gusts of wind are expected to breeze into northeast Ohio counties from the southeast tonight and will last until Saturday.

There’s a wind advisory in Trumbull and Mahoning counties starting at 4 p.m. today until 1 a.m. on Sunday.

Rain is also expected to start tonight and temperatures are going to drop so it’ll likely turn into a small accumulation of snow.

At noon, there’s a 25% chance of rain in Youngstown but it jumps to 100% by the end of the work day, according to the National Weather Service.

Very strong winds are expected tonight through Saturday. Winds will start from the southeast tonight before shifting to be from the southwest for Saturday. Rain will also move in later today before changing to snow. Light snow amounts will be expected across the entire area. pic.twitter.com/dV59kZdB71
— NWS Cleveland (@NWSCLE) January 12, 2024

Experts are predicting snow will accumulate around half an inch after midnight into Saturday in the Mahoning County area.

The chance of snow on Saturday is around 70% and it’ll be even colder as we encounter “sub-zero wind chills Saturday night through Wednesday,” according to the advisory.

Then on Sunday, it’ll sill be cloudy with a 50% chance of snow and temperatures will keep dropping into Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday.

How to prepare for the cold

Here are some reminders from Columbia Gas on keeping your home secure as temperatures go down:

Space heaters can provide comfort but should be used with caution. When using, ensure they are placed on a hard, non-flammable surface away from furniture and flammable materials/products.
Ensure appliances and heating equipment – such as a furnace, water heater and stove – are inspected and operating properly. All equipment should be used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Never use a stove or oven as a heat source in your home; ovens are designed to heat food and should only be operated with the door closed.
Don’t burn charcoal or run a generator indoors or in enclosed spaces.
Clean your chimney and check for blockage at least once a year before using your fireplace.

Watch out this weekend for wind that could blow around unsecured objects and knock tree limbs down.

Power outages may result; listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov for more information about the winter weather hazards.

If you experience an outage, report it to First Energy and get updates by texting OUT to 544487.