Subscribe
Jobs
Cars
Real Estate
Apts
Classifieds
Shop
Preparations are under way to combat a winter storm passing through the region today and Wednesday; it is expected to bring up to 10 inches of snowfall.
Such a snowfall could rank near the top 10 highest for a two-day period in Fort Wayne, according to Nick Greenawalt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. In total, 6 to 10 inches of snow is expected to fall throughout northeast Indiana and portions of Ohio through Wednesday night. The area remains under a winter storm warning during that same time.
“It’s a fairly significant amount,” Green-awalt said, adding that the city’s record for two-day snowfall was set in March 1964 with 14.3 inches.
The bulk of snowfall will be Tuesday afternoon – with the heaviest snowfall during rush hour, Greenawalt said. Two to 4 inches is expected to fall Tuesday during the day, along with an additional 2 to 4 inches Tuesday night. Then continual snowfall in smaller amounts, along with blowing and drifting snow, will be a concern early Wednesday and into the evening as winds reach gusts of 35 mph.
City crews are prepared for the wintry mix. A load of salt was delivered Monday and a load of calcium chloride, which helps the salt work more quickly, is expected to be delivered today, said Frank Suarez, Fort Wayne public works spokesman.
“We always have enough for storms, but we try to replenish as we go along,” he said. “They’re ready; we know its coming.”
Monday, city street crews made sure all trucks were working and all plows attached. The time of day for the snowfall is key, as traffic can hinder snowfall removal, he said.
“The trucks are not emergency vehicles; they have to follow the traffic laws,” Suarez said.
Suarez said a third shift of drivers is added during the winter months, and those drivers will be called in early to work or asked to stay late if needed, as overtime is factored into the budget.
John Elliott, a spokesman for Kroger and Scott’s Food Stores, said Monday the grocery chain expects to see an increase in business just before the storm.
“What we normally see the day before the storm arrives (is a) big push on staple items,” he said. “Certainly the pharmacies get just as busy as the food store.”
Those staple items include bread, milk and eggs. Some customers will also make an extra trip to the store to stock up on their favorite snack foods before a storm in case they get snowed in, Elliott said.
Shoppers should not worry about food being sold out – as Elliott said extra deliveries are already in place to ensure stocks of those staples do not run low during a storm.
“We have contingency plans for every sort of emergency you can imagine,” he said, adding that those plans have been used for past flooding in the city, along with the December 2008 ice storm.
Since Oct. 1, the beginning of the winter snowfall season, the city has had 20 inches of snow.
The normal at this time would be a total of 24 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
Meanwhile, Mayor Tom Henry is supposed to announce this morning whether inclement weather will postpone his annual State of the City address, slated for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
