COLUMBUS, Ohio –Winter returned to central Ohio along with the work week, making the morning commute slow and treacherous and closing schools.
EXTRA: Complete list of school closings and delays
Level 1 snow emergencies were declared Monday morning in Franklin, Delaware, Fairfield, Licking and Union counties with snowfalls ranging from 2-1/2 inches in Columbus to 4 inches in Marysville.
The Columbus City Schools, as well as several large suburban district, cancelled classes for the day.
Columbus city officials asked residents and business owners to clear sidewalks of snow and ice to keep them safe for pedestrians. Residential and business property owners are responsible under the City Code for clearing snow and ice off sidewalks.
More than 230 ODOT plows battled ice and snow, worked through the night on interstates, state and U.S. routes, ramps and bridges. Crews plowed and salted because yesterday’s rain combined with dropping temperatures to create a layer of ice under the snow.
Highway crews will concentrate on making sure travel lanes are safe and passable, ideally free of snow and ice, then will push snow back from shoulders to allow access by emergency personnel and disabled vehicles.
Some snow plows will remain on duty to ensure the evening commute is safe and passable, ODOT spokeswoman Nancy Burton said.
The Columbus Snow Warriors were fully staffed and concentrating on their Priority I routes: U.S. 33, state Routes 104 and 315 and arterial streets such as High and Broad streets, Bethel Road, state Route 161 and Hague and Sullivant Avenues. They had begun clearing collector streets by 10:00 a.m.
The National Weather Service reports west central Ohio saw the most snow, with accumulations between 3-5 inches Monday morning. Other parts of the state from Cleveland to southeast Ohio saw about 1-3 inches.
The Weather Service reports temperatures will drop to the teens and low 20s late Monday afternoon as the snow tapers off.