COLUMBUS, Ohio – The polar vortex that brought central Ohio earlier-than-usual winter temperatures last week brought snow Monday morning.
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The National Weather Service reports 1 to 3 inches of snow had accumulated during the overnight hours and early Monday morning in the northern and central parts of the state, while southwest Ohio saw accumulations of 2 to 3 inches. Southeast counties saw mostly rain early Monday, but meteorologists expected conditions to change into snow.
A Winter Weather Advisory is posted for most of the Columbus area until 3:00 p.m. Snow accumulations will be near 2-4 inches in most areas through midday, ABC6/FOX28 meteorologist Dana Turtle said.
Clouds and flurries stick around into the afternoon and winds will pick up making blowing and drifting a problem along with falling temperatures.
A small number of ODOT plow drivers were expected to start reporting to work throughout central Ohio by 6:00 p.m. Sunday and ODOT planned to have about 120 plows operating working by midnight, patrolling and salting bridges and overpasses which freeze first.
City of Columbus crews began treating Priority 1 streets — US 33, state Routes 104 and 315 and arterial streets — as soon as the snow began, spokeswoman Melanie Crabill said.
Heavy, wet snow and ice pulled down power lines, knocking out electricity to more than 9,000 AEP customers in Franklin and Licking counties.
Turtle says overnight wind chills will be near -5 with lows close to the single digits with more blowing and drifting snow and Tuesday will be a very cold with highs in the lower 20s and wind chills again near 5 below zero.