In the wake of intense winter storms that wreaked havoc across the Great Lakes region, additional snow is anticipated for areas still recovering from the recent deluge. This series of storms led to tragic accidents, the collapse of a barn that housed 100 cows, and left some towns buried under nearly 6 feet (1.8 meters) of snow.
As recovery efforts continued on Tuesday in western New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan, snowfall persisted in parts of New York. A lake-effect snow warning remained in effect, with predictions of 4 to 8 more inches of snow, as reported by the National Weather Service.
More than five feet (1.5 meters) of snow has fallen east of Cleveland along Lake Erie, and with a winter storm watch beginning Wednesday night, additional snow is expected through Friday. This weather pattern has posed significant challenges for residents and emergency services alike.
In Ohio, a high school near Ashtabula suffered structural damage when the weight of the snow caused its roof to partially collapse over the weekend. School officials announced on Monday that repairs would take weeks, prompting them to arrange alternate locations for classes.
Neighbors like Todd Brainard have taken precautions to prevent disaster. Brainard used a roof rake to clear several feet of snow from his home in Perry, Ohio. “I just don’t want to take the chance of having the roof cave in on my kids or wife or any one of us,” he said. “A lot of people haven’t seen this amount of snow in a long time.”
In western Pennsylvania, another 3 to 9 inches (8 to 23 centimeters) of snow is expected from late Wednesday to Thursday morning. Many school districts in this area remained closed due to the heavy lake-effect snow experienced over the past days.
Members of the Pennsylvania National Guard have been deployed to assist by using Humvees and tactical vehicles to transport healthcare workers and rescue stranded motorists during this challenging period, according to Maj. Travis Mueller, a spokesperson for the Guard.
Erie, Pennsylvania, has faced extraordinarily high snowfall, with over 200 vehicles abandoned in the snow obstructing road-clearing efforts. The city’s assistant fire chief, Gregory Purchase, described the intensity of this storm as “unprecedented,” even for a region familiar with lake-effect snow.
In response to the significant snow accumulation, Erie County officials urged residents to assist in clearing snow from fire hydrants and announced that inmates from the local jail would aid in these efforts starting Wednesday.
Tragically, the severe weather has been linked to several fatal accidents. In Iowa, three individuals lost their lives in a collision after a driver swerved to pass a snowplow. Meanwhile, in western Kentucky, two people died in a crash that blocked Interstate 24 for hours, further highlighting the dangers of winter road conditions.
Across the nation, in southeast Alaska, an ice storm warning is in effect alongside flood watches due to rain and melting snow. Juneau, the state capital, experienced heavy snowfall over the weekend, which subsequently transitioned to rain as temperatures increased.
___
Contributors to this report include John Seewer from Toledo, Ohio; Mark Scolforo from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Michael Rubinkam from Allentown, Pennsylvania; Becky Bohrer from Juneau, Alaska; and Dylan Lovan from Louisville, Kentucky.
