Storm socks area, sets record

March 9, 2008 at 12:15a.m.

Home Depot in Boardman sold out of winter-related merchandise, an assistant manager said.

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 at 93.6 inches, exceeding just a winter ago, 2006-07, when a total of 90.2 inches was 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.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol in Canfield said it may be two days before the roads are fully cleared. Pennsylvania State Police reported similar conditions in Lawrence and Mercer counties.

Accidents and spin-offs were widespread, though not as high as might be expected under the conditions, safety service agencies reported.

Many motorists throughout the Mahoning Valley appeared to be heeding the warnings, including the Level 2 snow emergency that was issued in Trumbull County. The warning cautioned people against driving.

“Traffic’s a little lighter than normal,” said Marty Glisa, public works foreman for the city of Canfield. “People are being wise and staying home.”

Even the Eastwood Mall in Niles closed at 6 p.m.

Youngstown Fire and EMS and the state patrol in Southington were reporting accidents Saturday when the second round of snow began falling by late afternoon.

Police said freezing rain in Mercer County caused minor accidents on Interstate 80.

Emergencies crews had been dispatched on Trumbull County highways about 10 times to pull vehicles from drifts on the side of the roads, a dispatcher said.

Salem police were attempting to enforce a parking ban, as were Hubbard Township and many other Valley communities. But such a ban left some residents in a lurch. Where private parking wasn’t available, Hubbard township wasn’t able to offer an alternative.

In Salem, some cars were buried by the piles left behind by plows.

“We have vehicles that are just plowed in place,” said Less. “They’re going to spend hours digging them out.”

A winter snow warning was to remain in effect until 4 a.m. today.

Nevertheless, Canfield’s Glista was optimistic that the problem would be under control this morning. The city’s road crews were expected to return to work at 3 a.m.

“The sun is supposed to shine,” he said. “We’ll have it made.”