Snow Day 2? Forecasters say additional 1 to 5 inches possible

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The snow should stop falling by this afternoon, but is expected to cause inconveniences for this morning’s commute in some parts of the Mahoning Valley.

Some places in the area could have as little as an additional inch of snow by this morning, while others could have as much as 5 inches, said Andrew DiPaolo, meteorologist for 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner.

“It’s a crazy range,” he said. “We like to give a range like 2 to 3 inches. But with lake-effect snow, it’s hard to forecast. North of [Interstate] 80 is the common areas where lake effect will be; 80 will be a slick road.”

The amount of snow that fell Monday night and Tuesday morning in the Valley ranged from a dusting to 31/2 inches, DiPaolo said.

By this afternoon, the snow will taper off, he said, but it won’t warm up.

The high temperature today will be near 22 degrees with a low tonight of about 15 with wind-chills in the single digits, DiPaolo said.

It will be mostly sunny Thursday with a high around 29 degrees and a low at night of about 15, he said.

The high temperature Friday will be about 37 with rain or snow showers, but no accumulation and a low near 31.

The high temperature Saturday, Sunday and Monday will be around 40.

In Youngstown, all 15 of the city’s snowplows were on the streets, first salting around 10:30 p.m. Monday and then removing the modest amount of snow – about an inch or less – that fell that night and Tuesday, said Sean McKinney, buildings and grounds commissioner.

The trucks were to be out again Tuesday night to clear snow and salt roads, he said.

In Boardman, road crews were expected to begin plowing roads about 4 a.m. today, township Road Superintendent Marilyn Kenner said.

The road department divides the township into eight districts, which drivers are then assigned to plow. Eight trucks typically are used for main routes, and two are used for minor routes such as culs-de-sac.

Township crews have been salting the roads for more than a day.

“We’re ready,” said Kenner.

In Austintown, crews were called out at 2 a.m. Tuesday. Mike Dockry, township administrator and roads superintendent, said roads were fine Tuesday evening. Assuming weather patterns would hold, Dockry said he didn’t expect major problems overnight. He said crews would re-salt roads today.

Canfield Township Administrator Keith Rogers said they were doing pretty well keeping up with events. They started at 4 a.m. Tuesday to clear roads for buses. They planned to make similar preparations this morning. Neither Dockry nor Rogers identified any major trouble spots, but Rogers said sometimes snow will accumulate.

“There’s snow, nothing you can do about that,” he said. “If people see snow on the road, they should slow down.”

Tom Klejka, assistant highway superintendent for Trumbull County Engineer Randy Smith, said late Tuesday afternoon the roads in the county’s jurisdiction were in good shape, but the office will monitor them overnight. Crews will be back out at 3 a.m. today to treat high-traffic areas.

High winds, which are expected overnight, can create ice hazards, so the engineer’s office will be watching for that, Klejka said.