Snowfall begins to taper off in Lucas County

Gary Sears, highway technician, driving the truck, left, as Drew Kronberg, operating the front end loader, gets salt for the truck in preparation for the storm.

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Ottawa Park Ice Rink manager Joe Minnich snow blows around the rink for skaters during opening day at Ottawa Park in Toledo.

Gary Sears, highway technician, driving the truck, left, as Drew Kronberg, operating the front end loader, gets salt for the truck in preparation for the storm.

The snow has begun tapering off in Lucas County and is expected to move out of the area by 8 p.m., today, said Brian Mitchell, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Cleveland.

The daylong snowfall resulted in an accumulation of about 8 inches on the ground in Toledo and surrounding areas, Mr. Mitchell said.

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The early snow wreaked havoc on area roadways as drivers woke up to slick, snow-covered streets. Some minor accidents, such as off-road slides and crashes, were reported across the area.

At 10:30 a.m., Toledo police were called to a possible multi-vehicle accident on northbound I-75 near downtown. Initial reports are that a car slammed into a wall, and a tractor-trailer and box truck were stopped. No injuries have been reported.

Events are being canceled throughout the area because of the snow, including Springfield High School's hockey game and its basketball game against Eastwood. Toledo Zoo officials closed the zoo at 3 p.m. today because of inclement weather; the zoo will reopen at 10 a.m. Sunday.

Some high school test days for incoming students also have been delayed, along with a host of other activities in northwest Ohio. The University of Toledo said its engineering graduation will go on as planned at 3 p.m. today at Nitschke Auditorium.

An ABCO worker removes a car that slid off the Ohio Turnpike westbound near the Maumee exit in Maumee.

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RELATED: Snowstorm begins trek into Northeast

A winter weather warning remains in effect for western counties in northwest Ohio, while a weather advisory is in effect for Lucas County and counties south and east.

Ottawa County has issued a level two snow emergency. Several counties, including Wood, Hancock, Lucas, Seneca and Sandusky, have issued level one snow emergencies, which means drivers should proceed with caution as roads may be hazardous.

Earlier, Ohio Highway Patrol officials said there were no injuries in a tractor-trailer accident mid-morning on the Ohio Turnpike, near the Maumee and Toledo exit at Reynolds Road.

The incident happened at 9:18 a.m. and was not a complete rollover, but instead the truck slid off a westbound lane and into a ditch. The truck did not block traffic.

Toledo crews responded to a two-car, injury accident at about 2 p.m. today at Front Street near I-280. Details were not immediately available.

Two minor crashes occurred on State Rt. 2 in Sandusky, however officials said roads were cleared by 8 a.m. No injuries were reported there.

Snow started falling in the Toledo area at 1 a.m. today, but several inches already had accumulated by mid-morning. Meteorologist Martin Mullen with the National Weather Service said snow showers will be steady throughout the day, resulting in a total of 4 to 7 inches by this evening.

Meteorologist Evan Bentley said today that Fulton County and other counties west of Lucas have received between 2 to 3 inches of snow already.

He also predicts heavy snow falls for the rest of the day, for a total of 3 to 6 inches.

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