Icy roads causing rash of accidents

12/8/2013
BLADE STAFF

A rash of vehicular crashes were being reported about 8 p.m. today in the Toledo area as light freezing rain or drizzle turned several highways and byways into ribbons of ice.

Freezing rain advisories have been issued for several counties in northwest Ohio, including Williams, Fulton, Defiance, Henry, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, and Allen.

Light snow was mixing with or changing to freezing drizzle over much of the area as a low pressure system tracked northeast from the Plains to the Great Lakes, according to the National Weather Service.

Freezing drizzle is causing some untreated roads to become slippery, and with motorists failing to slow down, some vehicles are running off streets, and "a whole bunch of accidents" are being reported.

Because the light glaze is causing slick conditions, drivers are being urged to slow down and use extra caution.

A winter weather advisory for a wintry mix has been posted for Lucas County as well as other counties, including Wood, Sandusky, Ottawa, and Hancock, until 4 a.m. Monday.

A thin glaze, less than one-tenth of an inch, is predicted with little or no snow accumulation except about an inch in the Toledo area.

Bringing in extra crews to treat icy roadways were being discussed by some law enforcement officers.

Some vehicles were reported to be sliding into guardrails; multiple-car crashes were being reported as well. Tow trucks were being called out to several crash scenes in the Toledo area.

An Arctic air mass will overspread the area Monday and Tuesday, bringing the chance of wind chills near zero, according to the weather service.