By Rod Rowe
A record 5-inch snowfall for that date and temperatures near the freezing mark helped make most streets and roads slick Tuesday in the Goshen area.
The snowfall was in the 3- to 6-inch range across northern and central Indiana and was predicted to total 5 to 10 inches before the storm ends, explained John Taylor, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in North Webster.
“We still have snow across Indiana and into northeastern Illinois,” Taylor said at 9 p.m. Tuesday. He said the low pressure system was moving fairly slowly through the Ohio valley and he predicted snow showers to continue today.
Taylor explained that the wind is expected to shift to the northwest, so Goshen could still receive lake effect snow today.
The Goshen weather station reported a total snow of 4.9 inches at 7 p.m, beating the previous record of 3.8 inches in 1982.
Taylor said totals ranged from 5.5 inches of snowfall in Granger to 3.5 inches in Warsaw. He said the record for this date at the South Bend airport is 6 inches and the latest report at 9 p.m. Tuesday was 4.7 inches there.
“It’s not really heavy (snowfall). It is hit and miss,” Taylor said.
But he said there could be 3 or 4 more inches of snow at Goshen overnight, pushing the total into the range of 5 to 10 inches.
There were several slide-offs, many fender-benders and just one accident involving a minor injury at Plymouth, reported Trooper David Noonon, at the Bremen post of the Indiana State Police. He said the accidents are what would be expected with the weather this area was experiencing.
“If people would just slow down, we’d all make it through,” he said Tuesday night.
As of noon Tuesday there had been 14 slide-offs, 12 property damage accidents and two injury crashes in northeastern Indiana, reported Ron Galaviz, information officer with the State Police at the Fort Wayne post.
The State Police asked residents to keep telephone lines open for emergency calls. Drivers may access road and weather information at the INDOT’s Web site TrafficWise.IN.gov or call 800-261-ROAD (7623), he explained.
Cancellations
Some local schools dismissed classes early Tuesday and several cancelled evening activities. The girls basketball sectional set at West Noble was postponed, but games took place at Concord High School.
Schools ending their day early included Clinton Christian, Elkhart Christian Academy, Fairfield, Elkhart Christian Academy, Wawasee schools and Wawasee Christian Academy.
Activity had calmed down quite a bit by 9 p.m. from a busy afternoon Tuesday, reported Steven Stouder, a dispatcher with the county 911 center. He said county highway and Goshen street crews were out in the night moving the snow from streets and roads.
Police suggested all drivers clear all windows, head and tail lights of snow and ice, turn on headlights, even in daytime hours, reduce speed, watch for sudden stops, don’t tailgate, hang up telephones and buckle up seatbelts.
