Weather reports this morning have seen a variety treacherous weather conditions across the state, including freezing rain, snow and ice.
State authorities are advising Hoosiers to stay off roads whenever possible and locally crews from the Jasper Street Department hit the roads early this morning.
Street Commissioner Jeff Theising says the three-stage storm is a challenge. He says that while “Salt remains a valuable tool when ice is forming crews won’t be able to put it on while it’s raining, and that timing will be critical.”
Jasper road crews have a priority list of areas which will be treated first including heavily-used streets, hills and intersections.
INDOT crews will also be servicing state highways through Jasper as freezing rain continues to fall and ice is starting to accumulate on the roadways.
Use extreme caution when venturing out and avoid travel this morning if at all possible. Driving conditions have deteriorated rapidly overnight.
A total snow and sleet accumulations of 3 to 5 inches and ice accumulations of around a tenth of an inch are expected in the warning area. Gusty winds will result in the blowing and drifting of snow.
Use a variety of sources to make an informed decision. One of those sources is the Indiana County Travel Advisory Map. It’s updated with information from the county emergency management agencies and describes the conditions for a travel warning, watch, advisory and caution.
The map is available online at http://www.in.gov/dhs/traveladvisory/, or on your mobile device by downloading the Indiana Travel Advisory app for iPhone (https://appsto.re/us/QHVw4.i) in the App Store, and Android (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.in.traveladvisory) in the Google Play Store.
In addition to the Travel Advisory Map, keep an eye on road conditions and closures across the state by downloading the Indiana Department of Transportation’s mobile app at https://www.in.gov/indot/3672.htm, visiting trafficwise.in.gov or by calling 800-261-ROAD.
DO NOT call local law enforcement or 9-1-1 for road information. These lines need to be left open for emergency calls.
Details on winter weather safety resources across the state, such as warming centers, can be found by visiting 211.org or by calling 2-1-1.
