Snow might not be over yet
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, January 26, 2000
Old Man Winter isn’t finished yet.
Wednesday, January 26, 2000
Old Man Winter isn’t finished yet. More snow is forecast for the Tri-State through the afternoon, National Weather Service Charleston, W.Va., Bureau meteorologists said.
"There is a little bit of moisture around and we’ve got some colder air flowing around the Great Lakes," meteorologist Dan Bartholf said. "That means that this afternoon we’re going to have at least some scattered snow showers."
The light, dry, fluffy snow could accumulate quickly, he added.
"This type of snow, if it keeps with an area for a little while, tends to accumulate," he said. "So some areas could see up to an inch more in accumulation through the afternoon."
County residents woke to winter’s handiwork today, including slick driving conditions and cold temperatures.
Road crews from both the county garage and the Ohio Department of Transportation worked through the night to keep the roads drivable for morning commuters.
The hard work seems to have paid off, Ohio Highway Patrol dispatcher Mark Duncan said. The Ironton OHP post reported no vehicular accidents as of 9 a.m. today. But, with continued showers expected, caution throughout the day and during the nightly commute is urged, officials said.
"Basically, we are still out patrolling," said Holly Snedecor-Gray, ODOT District 9 public information officer. "We have 11 crews still out on the state and U.S. roads looking for and treating any icy patches."
ODOT crews began treating the highways at about 8:30 p.m. Monday and have not left the roads since, she added.
"Each time it looked like the conditions were going to be OK, another snow squall would come along and we’d have to start again," she said, adding that liquid calcium, in addition to the normal mix of salt and gris, is being applied to the roads to aid with the process. Salt and gris lose some effectiveness without the calcium solution in lower temperatures.
And temperatures are expected to keep dropping.
During the evening hours, the snow is expected to taper off into light flurries before fading completely, Bartholf said.
Then Jack Frost will have his turn.
"This area will be down in the single numbers for sure, as far as the temperature tonight," he said. "It will begin falling late afternoon because of the northerly flow of the cold winds."
With temperatures expected to take the plunge, health officials urge everyone to avoid the outdoors as much as possible.
Dr. James Ross, River Valley Health System emergency physician, cautions residents to guard themselves against extreme temperatures if they decide to venture outside.
Even though the windchill factor might not be present because wind speeds are low, temperatures well below freezing still affect exposed skin, Dr. Ross said.
"I think people up north know that," he said. "Don’t get caught out without a scarf, toboggan or gloves."
Uncovered skin is susceptible to frostbite, which begins with a tingling and numbing of the skin, especially on windy days, Dr. Ross said.
Skin turning white, though, is a sign of freezing, and a sign that medical attention is needed, he said.
And, a person can go outside and feel a tingling or numbing sensation because of the cold, but what people should try to do is never get to that point, Dr. Ross said.
In cold temperatures, or windchill conditions, people facing the most risk include emergency workers like firefighters who are exposed to water or the elements, he added.
For residents chipping ice off windshields or shoveling snow in single-digit temperatures, it’s still a good idea to keep covered in order to prevent skin from freezing, Dr. Ross said.
"It’s OK to run room temperature water over your hands, but if you feel you’ve frozen your skin, it’s at that point you should seek medical attention."