Steady snow causes accidents, some schools cancel events for Tuesday night

1/11/2011

Roads and highways across northwest Ohio became slick and slippery Tuesday afternoon, causing a swarm of accidents, particularly in Findlay.

By mid-afternoon, several school districts, including Springfield, Otsego, Sylvania, Rossford, Bowling Green, Lake, and Eastwood canceled athletic practices, games, and other events for Tuesday night.

In Bowling Green, Safety Director John Fawcett declared a snow emergency for the city effective at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. Cars must be moved off designated snow streets within two hours of the emergency declaration. Cars not removed are subject to towing and/or citation.

A level 1 snow emergency was issued in Lucas County.

Traffic was moving slowly along I-75 in the Findlay area, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol, and a lot of accidents have already occurred, according to the Van Wert post that covers Hancock, Allen, Putnam, and other nearby counties.

In Lucas County, light snow began falling about 10 a.m. Tuesday, and by 1:15 p.m., heavier snow was blanketing the Toledo area.

Many accidents were reported Tuesday afternoon in Toledo, including North Byrne Road and Dorr Street shortly before 4 p.m. Another occurred shortly after 3 p.m. on U.S. 24 just east of Neowash Road in rural Lucas County.

The Ohio Department of Transportation reported that a tractor-trailer rig read-ended a snow plow on U.S. 6 in Wood County. No one was seriously injured.

Across the state line, snow at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday was becoming heavier, and was falling at a steady pace, but Michigan State Police in Monroe County said no crashes had been reported there as a result of snowy road conditions.

A winter weather advisory, issued by the National Weather Service, remains in effect until 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Snow is expected to continue to pick up in intensity during the afternoon and evening. Total snowfall of about six inches is predicted.

About two to three inches of snow likely will blanket the area by rush hour Tuesday, and will continue overnight. Snowfall likely will taper to flurries by Wednesday morning.