Winter Storm Pounds Cleveland

Up to 2 feet of snow in some areas
KNN-Cleveland

The storm pounding the county is only expected to intensify as the night wears on, and the National Weather Service has issued a blizzard watch starting at 4 a.m.

A winter storm warning will continue through midnight Saturday.

The service is predicting 6 to 10 inches of snow in midday Saturday in our area — and as much as 10 to 15 inches in areas east of Interstate 71.

Freezing arctic winds of 20 to 30 mph are also expected to rake the area, leading to horrible visibility and drifting snow for drivers.

Blizzard conditions could set in Saturday as winds increase to 30 to 40 mph. Blizzard warnings are only issued when the weather service expects incredibly heavy snow to fall for several hours at a time.

The storm has already grounded dozens of flights at Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland.

Airport Director of Marketing Todd Payne said Continental Airlines has cancelled 60 percent of its affiliated flights for tonight and Southwest has cancelled 50 percent of its flights.

Hopkins remains open and a fleet of 25 plows are working to keep runways clear, Payne said. But those expecting to depart should anticipate delays, he said.