Feb 14 2015 area road conditions recap

Feb 15 post

I'm guessing that travel conditions were rougher in the open areas of eastern and western Lucas County.

At times on Saturday, the counties of Fulton and Ottawa were at level 3. Some other northwest Ohio counties were also at level 3.

Saturday's weather was variable, ranging from sunny to fairly intense but brief snow squalls.

The strong winds caused considerable blowing snow in the wide open farm country.

The National Weather Service repeatedly warned about whiteout conditions occurring at times.

Here's one such statement:

special weather statement 244 pm est sat feb 14 2015

national weather service cleveland oh

including the cities of...toledo...bowling green...port clinton...
fremont...findlay...tiffin...upper sandusky...carey...bucyrus...
marion...mount gilead

widespread blowing and drifting snow will cause whiteout conditions at times making travel hazardous well into the evening.

motorists will need to use caution as the visibility will drop to under a quarter mile.

numerous accidents have been reported. travel will be dangerous.

Sun, Feb 15, 2015 Blade story

Two women, one of whom was pregnant, were killed Saturday on the Ohio Turnpike — one in an eight-vehicle pileup in Erie County and another in a seven-vehicle crash in Williams County — while slick roads and whiteouts led to dozens more crashes around the region.

At least 15 other minor crashes occurred on the turnpike Saturday, the patrol said.

Williams County was under a level 3 on Saturday.

More from the Blade:

“It’s been an all-day thing,” said Michigan State Police Trooper Don Stewart, who estimated that in Monroe County the state police and sheriff’s office together handled some 24 crashes in addition to multiple road slide-offs.

... brisk, gusty winds made visibility poor and prompted the turnpike to ban long and high-profile vehicles, including triple-trailers and campers.

The patrol’s Bowling Green post had its busiest day so far this year, handling 21 crashes in Wood County, eight in Lucas County, and three in Fulton County. It referred Henry County calls to the county sheriff.

At least six northwest Ohio counties declared Level 3 snow emergencies, banning all but emergency travel, for parts of Saturday. The bans started in Williams and Defiance counties and shifted east with the storm. Ottawa County was the last to relax its status at 7 p.m., ending a four-hour ban.