News
Ice and Snow Arrive As Predicted – Roads Slick
By: Susan Tebben | The Athens Messenger, WOUB Staff Writer
Posted on:
UPDATE 3:45 p.m. Washington County and Perry County are also level-one snow emergencies at this time.
UPDATE 2:30 p.m. Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly has downgraded Athens County from a level-two snow emergency to a level-one.
UPDATE 1:50 p.m. Two commercial vehicle crashes on Route 50 toward Guysville shut down U.S. 50 for several hours.
According to Lt. George Harlow of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Route 50 is open in both lanes as of 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.
At about midnight on Wednesday a tractor trailer carrying a "lime-based product" overturned on the road. According to the Athens County Sheriff's Office, the product was not a danger to the public but was difficult to clean up from the road.
"The issue is getting the tanker upright and equipment will have to be brought in to accomplish it," Sheriff Patrick Kelly said at about 9 a.m. on the sheriff's office Facebook page.
That tanker was removed from traffic, but a second semi lost control near the first crash scene.
No injuries have been reported.
UPDATE 10:22 p.m. Snow, ice, and now flooded roadways are making it tough on motorists in the region.
According to the Ohio Department of Transportation's traffic website, flooding has closed portions of a number of roads in Lawrence County. Those roads include State Routes 650, 141, 218, 775 and 93.
In Athens County, ODOT reports high water on State Route 56 near the Carbondale area closed the eastbound lane.
For a check of road conditions click here.
UPDATE 9:28 p.m. One westbound lane of U.S. Route 50 is back open after an accident involving a semi-tractor trailer brought traffic to a standstill Wednesday morning.
The accident happened on U.S. 50 near mile marker 25. Dispatchers with the Athens Post were unable to provide further details when called due to heavy call volume.
Patrol posts across the region report slippery roads and numerous reports of minor accidents, mainly drivers sliding off the road. Dispatchers urged motorists to slow down and drive with caution.
For a check of road conditions click here.
A layer of crunchy ice covered roads and walkways Wednesday morning in Southeast Ohio.
Temperatures in Athens County hovered close to freezing just before dawn.
Still the icy conditions prompted Alexander, Athens City, Nelsonville-York, Trimble and the Tri-County Career Center to close.
Federal Hocking was operating on a two-hour delay.
To the north in central Ohio heavy snow and ice awaited commuters and farther west and south it was thicker ice that closed and delayed schools as another winter storm passed through Ohio.
Forecasters said the heaviest snowfall was expected overnight Wednesday, and could include freezing rain and sleet.
A winter storm warning was issued for nearly all of the state through Wednesday morning, with heavy, blowing snow expected to make driving hazardous.
Southeastern Ohio, which got the brunt of a storm Monday, could escape the worst this time, getting precipitation in the form of freezing rain and sleet.
Forecasters predicted ice would be the biggest threat in the Cincinnati area and several southern Ohio counties to its east.
High temperatures there were expected to reach the mid-20s.
Ohio has had a string of blizzards and frigid temperatures, beginning in early December.