Janice Morse reports:
A winter weather advisory, which had been in effect only until 5 p.m. for parts of Greater Cincinnati, has been extended until 7 p.m.
The extended advisory, issued just before 3:30 p.m., notifies motorists that continuing snowfall could cause travel difficulties because of reduced visibilities and snow accumulations.
The advisory applies to Butler, Warren and Hamilton counties; the advisory for the rest of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky was supposed to expire at 5 p.m.
Visibility, usually 10 miles, has been cut to less than a mile in parts of Greater Cincinnati because of the light but plentiful snow flurries that are falling, says Brian Coniglio, meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Wilmington office.
The snow showers began just after 2 p.m. at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Coniglio said, but it took about 30 minutes before the visibility was drastically reduced.
Even so, flights at the airport weren’t being affected, said Jay Brock, airport spokesman.
But motorists should take more precautions, says Lt. Wayne Price of the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Batavia post. The snow didn’t start there until just after 2:30, he said, and he didn’t see an immediate effect on visibility.
In areas where visibility is reduced, drivers should do two things, Price said: “Reduce speed and increase the distance they’re following other cars.”
Less than an inch of snow is expected to accumulate, the Weather Service said.
Now spreading from northwest to southeast across the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region, the snow is expected to taper off during the evening. Rain is expected to mix with snow in some areas, but there will also be pockets of snow only.
The snow could cause slick spots during the evening commute, the Weather Service said.
At 2 p.m. it was 33 degrees at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport close to the high of 34 degrees that is expected today. Normally this time of year, the mercury reaches 40.
Tonight the low should reach the lower 20s. It will remain cloudy and colder than normal on Tuesday. The high temperature will struggle to reach 35.
Temperatures will gradually warm starting Wednesday and top out in the mid-40s by Thursday.
Brenna Kelly and Jennifer Edwards Baker contributed to this story.
