Jennifer Edwards-Baker reports:
Overnight light snow combined with freezing temperatures have led to black ice, multiple accidents and major delays on highways this morning. All the accidents on highways are clearing but traffic remains heavy.
By 6:45 a.m., ARTIMIS was reporting no less than 11 accidents.
The worst conditions appear to be north of the city on Interstate 275 and Ronald Reagan Highway.
• An overturned tractor-trailer has closed Northern Kentucky westbound at the AA Highway.
• Eastbound I-275 at Ohio 4 has been reopened, left lane only.
• Cars are now being permitted to travel I-275 at Mosteller Road again.
• The left lanes of eastbound I-275 are Kellogg are now open again.
• The ramp from eastbound Ronald Reagan Highway to Galbraith Road is shut down due to icy conditions.
• Southbound I-71 at Ridge Road has reopened.
• Eastbound Ronald Reagan Highway at Reading Road is closed.
• A truck flipped on westbound Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway at Colerain Avenue, about 6:10 a.m. The driver has told rescue crews “he doesn’t think he is injured, but he might be.”
• Several vehicles also are spun out on I-275 at Hamilton Avenue.
“There are a lot of icy conditions, especially around I-275 and Ohio 4 in Springdale and U.S. 42 in Sharonville,” said Elizabeth Fossitt, a traffic controller with ARTIMIS. “It’s also very slick in both directions on the Ronald Reagan Highway. We’ve had our salt crews out all evening but it just hit this morning. Slow down.”
A winter weather advisory is in effect for the entire Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region until 9 a.m.
Some schools outside I-275 are on delay.
Light snow showers and flurries fell overnight, leaving trace amounts on yards, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington.
Initially, state transportation trucks and plows, which treat highways and state roads, put out a round of salt overnight in every county in southwestern Ohio, said Sharon Smigielski, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Transportation.
“But as we realized Mother Nature had thrown us a curve ball, we got more trucks out,” she said. “We were out by 2 and 2:30 in the morning, but the lack of traffic on the roads failed to work the salt into the pavement. The drop in air and pavement temperatures about 5 a.m. froze the overpasses. We have been out there and are doing the best we can.”
The snow combined with freezing temperatures could produce slick roads.
One particularly bad spot is eastbound I-275 at Ohio 4 in Springdale. Several vehicles spun out on what appears to be an icy patch about 5:50 a.m.
It will be cloudy later this morning and then gradually sunny. The high will only reach 38. Winds will remain light at up to 14 mph.
Warmer weather arrives Tuesday, more in line with mild conditions we have enjoyed this winter. It will be mostly sunny with a high near 58. The overnight low will be 39.
Wednesday, the mercury will soar into the mid-60s with plenty of sun.
Overnight, the low will only fall into the low 50s.
The warm trend will stick around through week’s end, but the chance for rain will return by Thursday.
Posted in: News, Weather |
Tags: Tags: accidents, black ice, commute, delays, ice, national weather service, snow, traffic, winter weather advisory
