It’s snowing in the Ohio Valley, but not much of it will be sticking.

The National Weather Service Pittsburgh is calling for the Wheeling area to receive up to one inch of snow today and less than one inch this weekend. According to NWS Pittsburgh Meteorologist Jason Frazier, light snow showers throughout Thursday evening and night will accumulate an estimated one inch of snow on the ground this morning.

According to NWS Pittsburgh Meteorologist Andrew Kienzle, the Belmont County area will have a similar forecast, with an anticipated half-inch to an inch of snow for Friday.

Frazier said the snowfall will be mixed with rain. This “white rain” will be less likely to stick to the ground and accumulate. Frazier added that higher elevations in the area may receive a full one inch of snow but are “unlikely” to exceed that.

“There’s really not going to be much in the way of accumulations,” Frazier noted. “The overnight period [Thursday night to Friday morning] will be a little better chance for accumulation, but still, probabilities favor less than one inch during that period.”

Light snow showers will continue Friday, resulting in less than one inch of snow in the area heading into Saturday.

Kienzle said Belmont County will experience “steady snow” Friday morning. In the late morning hours, Kienzle said the snow would transition to rain, which will continue for the rest of the day.

Kienzle said the rain may continue into Saturday and does not expect the rain to turn back into snow after the switch.

Frazier said today’s estimated high temperature of 41-42 degrees for the Wheeling area will be a slight increase from Thursday’s high of 37 degrees.

Frazier said there will be some snow accumulation in the area overnight and into Saturday. However, with the rising temperatures moving into the weekend, the snow will change to rain and melt any snow that accumulates overnight.

“Most folks won’t actually see one inch stay on the ground throughout the entire weekend because of it melting as surfaces warm,” Frazier said.

The warming trend will continue Saturday into Sunday, with temperatures potentially reaching a high of 50 degrees by Sunday.

Due to the trend of rising temperatures into the weekend, Frazier said it would be “difficult” for snow accumulations to occur on roads. He noted the temperature on “a lot of the roads” would still be elevated from previous warm temperatures earlier this week, which would also downplay snow accumulation.

“At most, you’ll probably see a dusting on the roads, maybe a half-inch of snow accumulated on grassy surfaces, but it’ll be difficult to get a whole lot more than that,” Frazier said.

Frazier added that a “little bit” of snow accumulation is anticipated on today’s roads, making them a “little bit slick.” He noted the snow will also reduce visibility while driving.

“There may be times where it’s a little bit heavier, and how far you can see ahead of your vehicle may be a little more limited, so it’s always good to take some precautions,” Frazier said. “We’re not expecting very high impacts on roadways through the snow period, given the lower snowfall totals.”

Kienzle said Belmont County roadways may have a “little bit of accumulation” of snow on them. He added that with recent warm temperatures, the ground temperatures are still “pretty high,” meaning road accumulations would be “light at best and not long-lasting.”

“Once some traffic gets out on the roads, I expect them to be mainly wet,” Kienzle said.

Ohio Department of Transportation District 11 Public Information Officer Lauren Borell said ODOT plow crews started working 12-hour shifts at midnight on Thursday. She noted this will mean crews will be out on the roads “24/7” until the snowfall ends.

ODOT is closely monitoring pavement temperatures moving into the weekend, which Borell noted plays a “key role” in road treatment. As of Thursday night, the road temperatures in Belmont County were about 38 degrees, which Borell said is a “good place to be.”

“We’ll have crews working overnight treating roadways,” Borell said. “If we get any kind of road coverage, they’ll also be plowing.”

Borell said residents should watch the weather closely over the next 24 to 48 hours and give themselves “plenty of time to reach their destinations and watch their speed,” especially during their Friday morning commute.

“We ask that folks give our trucks plenty of room to work out there,” Borell added. “Our crews are out there to make the roads safer, and we need the public to do the same by giving them plenty of room. Don’t follow too closely if you must pass and pass with care.”