A Winter Storm Watch, issued by the National Weather Service, took effect Wednesday night and will remain until Friday morning. The watch warned of possible accumulations of 4 to 7 inches of snow and one-tenth to four-tenths of an inch of ice.
Road conditions
The City of Springfield started deploying street crews Wednesday night and the plan is for them to work in shifts to combat potential snow fall and icy road conditions.
Springfield’s Service Department is making sure its trucks are ready for the roads this week, with roughly 25 available, city service director Chris Moore said. Truck drivers have also worked to familiarize themselves with their snow routes.
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has also made preparations for the winter storm.
ODOT said in a press release that the forecast for southern Ohio shows “serious potential” for heavy rain that could cause flooding in some areas before the storm transitions into freezing rain or snowfall. ODOT reminded motorists to never drive through high water or around barricades.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office will be monitoring roadways to determine emergency snow levels, the office said in a social media post.
The sheriff’s office is urging county residents not to call 911 or the county’s dispatch center for updates on road conditions or snow levels in order to keep phone lines open for emergencies. The sheriff’s office will share details about snow emergency levels on its Facebook page and through media releases, the office said.
Weather preparations
As a result the potential severe weather conditions, the Clark County Emergency Management Agency is “evaluating the needs of the community throughout the (weather) event,” said Clark County PIO Mike Cooper.
Clark County EMA Director Michelle Clements-Pitstick suggested that area residents make a family emergency plan, update their emergency supply kit and watch the forecast from trusted sources.
“We urge residents to begin preparations as soon as possible to keep their families safe if we’re faced with future interruptions later this week,” she said on Monday.
As of Wednesday afternoon, grocery stores in the area were fairly stocked with supplies.
The agency offered a few tips earlier this week that residents can follow in order to prepare for extreme weather. That included the following.
- Avoid travel if possible, and make sure to have an emergency supply kit with food, water and blankets in the car in case you have to be on the road
- If using portable generators, don’t use them inside your house, in your garage, or near doors, vents, windows or sleep areas
- Charge your phone and other devices ahead of time in case of an outage
- Prepare the proper supplies to deal with winter conditions, including rock salt or pet-friendly ice melting products, snow shovels and other snow removal tools
School closures
In terms of local schools, most districts in Clark and Champaign counties are working to track the storm to determine if schools will be closed.
Springfield City School District officials said on Wednesday that they were watching the storm closely as it develops and changes and will communicate a closure status to families as soon as possible.
“We also encourage our families to take the proper precautions at home in the chance that the storm is severe – have plenty of blankets and batteries on hand, as well as food and water,” Superintendent Bob Hill said.
Hill said there are many variables they take into consideration when deciding if school should close.
“Including meals that several of our students count on as their only nutritional sources during the day and family work schedules, as well as child care options. In addition, some of our 7,500 plus district students may lack adequate heat and water sources at home. Once at school, the district is able to provide social and emotional support, as well as food, warmth wand water,” he said.
If the district cannot determine a delay or closing the night before, they resume the process at 4 a.m. to assess weather conditions. Hill said they try to make a decision by 5:30 a.m. each day, and an “all-call” will be made to families who can also check the district’s website and social media accounts.
Northwestern Local School District officials said on Wednesday that they were watching the winter storm as it tracked towards the area and give an update later in the evening.
At Triad Local School District, Superintendent Vickie Hoffman said students won’t have to worry about virtual days if school is closed.
“That will happen on our ninth day. We have already missed three days of school so far, when we get to day eight you will know when to go to virtual days,” she said. “You shouldn’t have to need to worry about this weather that comes in this week like they are expecting… We are just going to do it like we’ve been doing like it’s a regular snow day, go out, play in the snow and enjoy your day.”
Northeastern Local School officials said on Wednesday that they were monitoring the weather to make a decision following their usual inclement weather process. The district has calamity days available, so if the weather is bad enough that students and staff can’t get to school safely, the school will close.
Clark State College will have remote and virtual operations today through Friday. Students, faculty and staff will return to campus on Monday. Wittenberg will be remote on Thursday.
Governmental offices
In terms of government offices for Clark County and the City of Springfield, closures will depend on weather conditions.
Announcements about the closure or delayed openings of county offices will be made thismorning. In Springfield, governmental offices are expected to remain open and hours are to stay the same, said Valerie Lough, Community Information Coordinator for the City of Springfield.
5 tips for driving on icy roads
With icy roads expected this week, it’s important to drive with caution. Here are five tips for driving safe in winter weather:
1. Stay home. If you really don’t have to go out, don’t. When icy roadways are involved, the best way to avoid an auto accident is not drive at all. If you must be out, take a winter driving kit, which should include items like bags of sat, a small snow shovel, traction mats, flashlight, gloves, ice scraper, paper towels, blanket and warning flares.
2. No cruise control. If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy and snowy weather. Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand). Always look and steer where you want to go, according to AAA.
3. Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry. And take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: it takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
4. To correct a skid on ice remove your foot from the accelerator, avoid slamming on the brakes but softly pump the brake pedal, and if your car is skidding in one direction, calmly steer to the opposite direction.
5. Don’t stop if you can avoid it. “There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it,” according to AAA.
