Area braces for big snow

Area road departments braced for a winter storm expected to hit the Hoosier state overnight.

Jackson County Highway Department and Seymour Department of Public Works had their trucks and other equipment ready to roll, officials said Monday.

City crews were busy loading their trucks with salt Monday afternoon in preparation for the storm.

Dick Wilde, director of Seymour DPW, said his salt supply was in good shape. Jackson County Commissioner Jerry Hounshel said the same was true for the county highway department.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis issued a winter storm warning for the area and much of the state, with snowfall accumulations of 5 to 8 inches anticipated.

The warning became effective at midnight Monday and extends to 1 p.m. Wednesday.

“We’re going to get more,” weather service observer Ruth Everhart said Monday afternoon. “We just need to hope and pray ours doesn’t come as rain.”

That’s because heavy rainfall on already saturated soil could cause flooding problems along the East Fork of the White River, she said.

The river was falling from 5.36 feet Monday morning, “but it could go up pretty fast,” Everhart added.

“And this is going to be a wet snow, and that will turn to water and that’s where the problem is,” Everhart said. “We need to hope it stays cold.”

Snow was expected to start falling around midnight Monday and continue through tonight.

Roads are expected to become slick and hazardous, compounded by anticipated winds reaching 30 mph, the weather service said Monday.

“Strong winds will create blowing and drifitng snow Tuesday night and Wednesday,” the warning advisory said.

Blowing and drifting snow aggravated  cleanup efforts over the weekend when Jackson County received 6 inches of snowfall.

Sunshine on Sunday and Monday helped road crews in rural areas gain some ground where drifting was a problem.

Officials recommend that people consider staying home and off the roads if the storm hits and safety becomes an issue.

“Significant amounts of snowfall are forecast that will make travel dangerous,” the weather service said, recommending that travel take place only in cases of emergencies.

Jackson County Sheriff Marc Lahrman agreed.

“Among other things, I wouldn’t be out driving if I didn’t have to be,” Lahrman said. “Approach it with caution — decrease your speed and increase the distance between you and the car in front of you. Really, it’s mostly common sense.”

Sgt. Don Gregory of the Indiana State Police  Post at Seymour offered these winter driving safety tips:

Reduce speed.

Keep a safe distance between vehicles.

Be aware of sudden stops.

Hang up cell phones, and drive with caution.

And move over and slow down when approaching emergency vehicles.

Motorists are also encouraged to have a full tank of gas, have a shovel in their car along with some high-energy snacks and water and blankets.