Saturday, February 6, 2010
The sun will come out Sunday and Monday, the weather service says.
YOUNGSTOWN — There should be 5 to 10 inches of new snow on the ground in Mahoning County by 6 p.m. today, the National Weather Service has predicted.
Heavier amounts will fall to the south in Columbiana County, where 9 to 15 inches is forecast, and lighter accumulations will occur to the north in Trumbull County, where 3 to 5 inches is expected. Seven to 13 inches is predicted for Lawrence and Mercer counties in Pennsylvania.
The snow will taper to flurries today, said Walter Fitzgerald, a NWS meteorologist.
The snow is expected to stop by about 6 p.m., he said. Most of the snow is expected before noon today, with a high of about 26 degrees and a north wind around 15 mph, the NWS said. The Valley is under a winter storm warning until noon today.
Much colder weather follows tonight, with a low of 8 degrees and a north wind between 8 and 13 mph producing wind chills as low as minus 1.
Because of the snow, Struthers has banned parking on public streets until 7 a.m. Sunday. Also, Boardman has an on-street parking ban until 6 p.m. today. Weathersfield has banned parking until 5 p.m. today. Youngstown has banned parking on city streets until further notice.
“Saturday school” in the Youngstown school district is canceled today. Some basketball games set for this weekend at area schools were rescheduled because of the weather, and the African Marketplace at Youngstown State University has been canceled.
For an up-to-the-minute list of event changes and parking bans, visit our broadcast partner at WFMJ.com.
Dispatchers for law enforcement agencies in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys reported numerous minor weather-related crashes Friday evening, but none involving serious injuries.
“We’re playing bumper cars,” said a Mercer County 911 dispatcher, referring to fender benders and cars in ditches.
Though the NWS forecast calls for a chance of flurries for tonight and Sunday, Fitzgerald said it’s only a “minimal” chance.
The forecast for Sunday and Monday calls for some sun with highs in the mid-20s.
Snow showers are likely to return to the Valley on Tuesday, Fitzgerald said.
Last month was the ninth-snowiest January in the Valley on record with 24.9 inches. Valley snowfall records date back to 1934.
In comparison, the 35.8 inches that fell in January 2009 is the third-most snow for a January in the area.
In Pennsylvania, the major winter storm prompted the Pennsylvania Department of Health to cancel its H1N1 vaccine clinics scheduled for today.
The clinics will not be rescheduled.
skolnick@vindy.com