National Weather Service Forecast for: Lancaster, OH Issued by: National Weather Service Wilmington, OH

Updated: 4:00 pm EDT Mar 16, 2026

This Afternoon Snow Showers Likely Tuesday Chance Snow Showers Wednesday Mostly Cloudy Thursday Slight Chance Light Rain Friday Mostly Cloudy Saturday Partly Sunny Sunday Mostly Sunny   Hi 47 °F Hi 29 °F Hi 40 °F Hi 55 °F Hi 62 °F Hi 63 °F Hi 62 °F     Tonight Chance Snow Showers Tuesday Night Mostly Cloudy Wednesday Night Mostly Cloudy Thursday Night Slight Chance Light Rain then Mostly Cloudy Friday Night Mostly Cloudy Saturday Night Mostly Cloudy Sunday Night Partly Cloudy   Lo 21 °F Lo 18 °F Lo 33 °F Lo 39 °F Lo 43 °F Lo 43 °F Lo 33 °F

Special Weather Statement
 

Forecast from NOAA-NWS for Lancaster, OH.

188
FXUS61 KILN 161752
AFDILN

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Wilmington OH
152 PM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Increased snow chances for this afternoon into early evening,
especially for eastern/southeastern parts of the local area. Light
accumulations around an inch are likely in northeast Kentucky and the
lower Scioto Valley into central Ohio through early evening.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1) A band of steady light to moderate snow will track quickly to the
northeast through eastern/southeastern parts of the local area
through early evening. Light accumulations are expected.

2) Scattered snow showers are expected through this evening,
potentially lingering into early tonight. Although roads are
expected to be mainly wet during the daytime, some isolated slick
spots may develop after sunset with falling air and ground
temperatures.

3) Unseasonably cold air, characterized by temperatures in the teens
and wind chill values in the single digits above zero, will settle
into the area by early Tuesday morning. Dress in layers if you must
be outdoors during this period. Some light snow is also possible in
parts of the area on Wednesday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1)
With good upper level support/forcing pivoting through the OH Vly, a
band of jet-induced snow will move quickly to the northeast through
northeast KY, the lower Scioto Valley, and central OH through the
afternoon. Steady snow will reduce visibility in these areas for
several hours, with light accumulation around an inch possible. This
should still be mainly confined to grassy/elevated areas as roads are
still quite warm, especially as the bulk of this steady snow will be
during the daytime.

Air temperatures will be slowly falling to near/below freezing into
early this evening, but the steady snow from northeast KY through
central OH should have limited impacts through this time.

KEY MESSAGE 2)
Steep/deep LL lapse rates have developed this afternoon with a
/very/ strong signal from the snow squall parameter given the
anomalously-deep/digging PV anomaly and plenty of moisture in the
DGZ. This will allow for widespread snow showers this afternoon area-
wide, lingering into this evening. In fact, there are some solutions
showing the development of some instby in the DGZ, so suppose an ISO
rumble of thunder cannot be completely ruled out through early
evening.

In terms of impacts, localized heavier snow showers will be capable
of reducing visibilities suddenly and significantly at times,
especially as wind will continue to gust to 30-35 MPH at times
through early evening. During the daytime period, expect any
accumulations to be mainly on grassy and elevated surfaces with roads
remaining mainly wet due to antecedent warm ground temps. However,
as air temps continue to fall below freezing into the evening hours,
some slick spots may begin to develop on area roadways, particularly
after sunset. The latest guidance suggest that untreated surface
road temps will generally go below freezing from around 02z-04z. If
coverage of snow showers remains widespread through this time,
certainly some icy/slick spots will likely develop. But there still
remains some uncertainty regarding how widespread/persistent the
activity will remain later into the evening.

Key Message 3)
An unseasonably cold air airmass will settle into the region tonight
through Wednesday, with overnight lows in the teens and 20s
expected. Daytime highs on Tuesday will top out around the freezing
mark, which will be about 20 degrees below seasonal norms.

Additionally, gusty winds on the order of 15-25kts will continue
through tonight into early Tuesday morning, leading to wind chill
values in the single digits above zero. Those venturing outdoors late
tonight into early Tuesday morning should dress in layers.

Additionally, a band of light snow will move into parts of the area
early Wednesday morning, potentially leading to additional light
accumulation, especially near/west of I-75. This may lead to
isolated slick spots on untreated surfaces for the Wednesday morning
commute.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
Numerous SHSN continue to overspread the area from the W as a band
of SN overspreads ern parts of the local area from the SW through
the afternoon. This band of SN will result in IFR VSBY for KCMH/KLCK
for several hours mid/late afternoon before the band moves off to the
E by/past 22z. The SHSN, meanwhile, will also lead to reduced VSBY,
except on a very brief/abrupt temporal/spacial scale. CIGs are mainly
VFR, but may briefly dip to MVFR during the steadier/heavier snow
rates. This will be most favored at KCMH/KLCK through about 22z. The
snow shower activity will become more ISO through this evening, but
MVFR CIGs will redevelop through tonight before returning to VFR by
18z Tuesday once again.

WSW wind on the order of 20-25kts, with gusts to around 35kts, are
expected through early evening before slowly tapering off thereafter.
Winds will become more westerly at 15-20kts, with gusts to around
25kts, after 06z.

Some additional ISO SHSN activity is possible for ern sites of
KCMH/KLCK near/after 18z Tuesday.

OUTLOOK...MVFR CIGs and VSBY are possible Wednesday due to light snow.

&&

.ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OH...None.
KY...None.
IN...None.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...
AVIATION...

NWS ILN Office Area Forecast Discussion