No one can say weather forecasters didn’t warn us this time. And we’re not quite out of it yet.
A heavily predicted winter storm dumped several inches of snow on north central Ohio on Monday evening into Tuesday morning — a snow-globe world of white making driving difficult and closing area schools.
Sheriffs’ offices in Richland and Ashland counties both declared Level One snow emergencies on Monday night, urging motorists to drive carefully as conditions worsened.
Situations were even worse in northeast Ohio, which was buried in white, resulting in flights at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport being delayed or even cancelled.
Low pressure will continue to linger across the area today with one to three more inches of snow possible in Richland, Ashland and Knox counties before the system clears to the east.
Gusty winds of up to 35 miles per hour will likely add to the fun today with drifting and blowing snow. A winter weather advisory remains in effect until Wednesday at 1 a.m.
Many Richland and Crawford county schools announced closures Tuesday, including Crestline, Discovery, Galion St. Joseph’s, Heartland Academy, Madison Adult Education, Mansfield 1st EPC School, Mansfield Christian School, Mansfield Seventh-Day Adventist School, Northmor Local Schools, Plymouth-Shiloh Local Schools, Shelby Sacred Heart, Crestline St. Joseph’s and Mansfield St. Mary’s.
Closures in Ashland County included Ashland City Schools, Ashland Christian School, Ashland County West Holmes Career Center, Black River, Hillsdale, Loudonville-Perrysville and Mapleton.
In Knox County, school closures included Centerburg, Danville, East Knox, Fredericktown, Knox County Career Center, Mount Vernon City Schools, Mount Vernon Seventh-Day Adventist, Northridge, North Fork and Highland.
The closure list was shortened by the fact several area districts have gone to virtual instruction due to COVID-19.
The good news is drier weather is expected to return the rest of the week with clearing skies and seasonal high temperatures in the high 30s and lows in the 20s.
