Sometimes the snow buries the plow

Sometimes the snow buries the plow

Digging out of this mess could take a while.

Road departments from Salem to Hubbard battled blasts of snowfall and freezing rain late into Saturday. Clearing the roads at some times was an exercise in futility.

“Our road crews have been out there since 5 this morning,” said Salem Police Sgt. John Less. “They haven’t been able to keep up, it’s plain and simple. It’s filling in right behind them.”

The National Weather Service in Cleveland warned of “near blizzard” conditions with total accumulation of six to 10 inches expected by morning.

This is the Mahoning Valley’s snowiest winter on record, exceeding just a winter ago, 2006-07, when 90.2 inches were recorded.

Chris Martin, assistant manager at the Home Depot store in Boardman, said he had totally sold out of all winter-related merchandise and wasn’t sure when new supplies would reach the store.

“I don’t even think semis are running in this weather,” he said.

Read more in Sunday’s Vindicator and at vindy.com