CLEVELAND, Ohio - With very cold air and some of Lake Erie yet to freeze, lake-effect snow is on tap for Northeast Ohio Thursday to early Saturday as winds shift from the northwest.

In the lake-effect belt, 8 inches are possible through Saturday morning, with heavier amounts possible in isolated higher elevation areas. In Cleveland and Akron, however, less than an inch should stick.

Thursday

Strong northwesterly winds will push any lake-enhanced clouds right over land in Northeast Ohio. If winds were from the west, this event would be much more targeted over the east-side lake-effect belt. Chances of snow come and go most of the day.

Friday

As winds shift more from the west-northwest, the heavier snow bands will swing more toward the east over the primary lake-effect belt, with only random light snow possible that day in Cleveland.

Saturday

In Cleveland, at most some flurries could pop up in the early morning, but overall the snow will begin to taper off west to east through the morning across Northeast Ohio.

Thursday morning through Saturday morning total snowfall estimates. (National Weather Service, Cleveland)

Over the weekend

Clevelanders on Sunday will rejoice. A shift in the jet stream out of its recent rut ushering in glacial air from the north will instead begin to blow in warmer, more mild air from the west -- highs will begin to creep up over 30 degrees.

Keep checking cleveland.com/weather for daily weather updates for Northeast Ohio, and don't forget to submit any weather questions you may have!

Kelly Reardon is cleveland.com's meteorologist. Please follow me on Facebook and Twitter @KellyRWeather.