News
Nasty Weather Rolling Across Ohio Saturday
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
UPDATE 11:20 a.m. Fresh snow fell across Ohio overnight Saturday and was continuing in the morning, creating hazardous driving conditions that caused several crashes.
WCMH-TV reports that two semis crashed on Interstate 70 in downtown Columbus early Saturday.
A semi jackknifed on Interstate 71 in the Cincinnati area. There was no immediate report of injuries.
Sheriff's departments throughout the state issued snow emergencies because of blowing and drifting snow, urging drivers to stay off the roads.
Athens, Perry, and Hocking counties were among some areas in the region under a level 2 snow emergency Saturday morning.
Between 2 and 4 inches of snow should fall statewide, with some areas seeing up to 6 inches.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for the region until 7 p.m.
Temperatures are in the lower teens or single digits, with below-zero wind chills.
The Ohio Department of Transportation says it's used about 621,000 tons of salt so far this season, compared with 252,000 tons this time last year.
Road conditions from ODOT can be found here.
Ohioans should expect to see more snow Saturday, as a system makes its way across the state.
Winter weather advisories were in effect statewide, with 2 to 4 inches of snow predicted in Southeast Ohio.
Some areas could see 6 inches.
Temperatures were expected to be in the lower teens or single digits, with below-zero wind chills. Wind gusts in northeast Ohio could reach near 40 mph.
District 10 of the Ohio Department of Transportation in Marietta which serves Athens and surrounding areas said Friday it's used about 37,000 tons of salt on roadways so far this season.
Statewide that number is 621,000 ton of salt used this year compared with 252,000 ton used last year.
Officials in one southwest county said they have a salt shortage that's limiting the clearing of county roads.
Montgomery County was advising motorists that sand would be used by itself or with salt in some areas.