COLUMBUS – From Tennessee to Maine, Americans, including central Ohioans, were being reminded – sometimes harshly – Thursday morning that winter is a long way from being over.
PLEASE BE CAREFUL: This picture was just sent to us 7:30am. Ramp to 70 from 315. Lots of black ice & slick spots. Photo courtesy: Chrissy Alex #CPD pic.twitter.com/65dDR1fVzu
— Columbus Division of Police (@ColumbusPolice) March 8, 2018
The National Weather Service says some areas of the Northeast got more than 2 feet of snow in a storm that started late Wednesday and pummeled the region through the night.
That system will merge with a smaller storm which brought snow to central and southwestern Ohio and WBNS 10-TV meteorologist Jeff Booth says the two together are pulling in cold air and light lake effect snow squalls.
We had 14 crews out at midnight initially treating the
northside of town where it was needed at 1 AM. Around 5:30 the blast of winter weather shifted and impacted our roadways in central and southern Franklin Co. We did our best fighting weather and morning traffic.— ODOT Columbus (@ODOT_Columbus) March 8, 2018
A few bands of snow that dusted roadways just before dawn caused havoc for commuters in Columbus and Cincinnati, shutting down State Route 315 in both directions (pictured, above) for a while during the morning rush-hour and causing multiple spin-outs and accidents.
Ice-covered roadways and blowing snow have led to numerous accidents with some fatalities on interstates in southwest Ohio. The state Highway Patrol says two people were killed in a chain reaction crash Thursday morning that shut down northbound I-75 in Butler County’s West Chester Township about 23 miles north of Cincinnati.
Roads were described as sheets of ice.
Several school districts delayed the start of classes or canceled them altogether and a Level One snow emergency was declared in Pickaway County.
The Dayton Daily News reports there are closures of roads, freeway ramps and interstates throughout the region.
The Highway Patrol says a passenger in a semi-trailer that collided with another semi early Thursday during whiteout conditions on I-75 has died.
That accident occurred near Tipp City, 15 miles north of Dayton.