How strong winter storm will impact Columbus, central Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- After central Ohio saw its first decent blast of snow for the season Friday, another system will move into the region by Sunday evening. This system is expected to bring heavy snow and even the chance for some freezing rain in select spots.

Winter storm watches and warnings will go into effect across the majority of central Ohio at 10 a.m. Sunday. These will last until midnight going into Tuesday. A snow storm is expected to drop between 4-8″ within Columbus and close to a foot of snow south of the I-70 corridor.

Far southern counties in the viewing area have a chance to also experience freezing rain on top of the heavy snow. Ice totals may be close to a tenth of an inch. This with the weight of the snow could bring down some branches and power lines.

The National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center uses a tool called the Winter Storm Severity Index to illustrate the impacts of winter weather. Areas south of Columbus can expect moderate impacts, which typically disrupt daily life and could lead to traffic delays and potential school closings.

North of the city will still see minor or mild impacts. There may be a few inconveniences especially with driving conditions. Several inches of snow are still excepted, but not enough to warrant a winter storm warning.

By Monday afternoon there will still be a few scattered snow showers, but most of the strongest activity will push its way off to the east. Skies will finally begin to let up by Tuesday, but by then a rush of chilly air will settle into Central Ohio through the end of the week.

Follow this link to stay with Storm Team 4's updated forecasts throughout the weekend on NBC4i.com and the Storm Team 4 weather app in anticipation of this winter storm. You can also follow the latest traffic conditions, school closings, and LIVE VIPIR radar on NBC4i.com and the NBC4 news app.