MONROE - Southern Wisconsin has been issued its first Winter Storm Watch of the season and area plows are preparing to test their capabilities over the weekend.
The National Weather Service advisory has predicted heavy snow from this evening through Saturday for Green County. Accumulation could total up to 8 inches by midday Saturday.
Jeff Wunschel, head of the Green County Highway Department, said the county trucks have been ready for roughly two weeks and even a foot of snow should not be a problem for the drivers. Preparation includes switching equipment on more than 20 trucks, fitting them with snow plows. Green County uses 12 plow trucks for the highways and another 10 for county roads.
"Our guys have been doing it for a while," Wunschel said. "We believe we're ready to go."
When highway officials anticipate a snowfall, they closely monitor road conditions during the time. All of this work goes on weeks before snow is even forecast.
"It's better to be proactive and keep traffic moving than to see it build up and cars down," Wunschel said. "Then accidents happen."
Salt brine is applied to roads hours before bad weather hits to ensure the initial snow begins to melt. Two area of major concern are County KK and County N: Their high traffic makes it vital to apply preventive measures in the case of snowfall.
"That gives us more time to get out there and respond," Wunschel said.
In Monroe, the Streets and Sanitation Department has also been moving forward with adjustments to trucks and gathering more than 2,000 tons of salt. Public Works Director Colin Simpson said city workers put their first plows on Monday and had everything finished by Thursday afternoon. The fleet used in the city includes 11 plows and roughly a half dozen of heavy equipment pieces such as loaders and street sweepers.
Plow drivers were to meet this morning to go over protocols before they drive a test run with the trucks. Simpson said the city should be prepared regardless of the heavy snowfall predicted, especially due to the high ground temperature.
"We can accommodate quite a bit of snow," Simpson said. "If we get several feet, that's a different story. But even a foot of snow, that is generally manageable."
The National Weather Service advisory has predicted heavy snow from this evening through Saturday for Green County. Accumulation could total up to 8 inches by midday Saturday.
Jeff Wunschel, head of the Green County Highway Department, said the county trucks have been ready for roughly two weeks and even a foot of snow should not be a problem for the drivers. Preparation includes switching equipment on more than 20 trucks, fitting them with snow plows. Green County uses 12 plow trucks for the highways and another 10 for county roads.
"Our guys have been doing it for a while," Wunschel said. "We believe we're ready to go."
When highway officials anticipate a snowfall, they closely monitor road conditions during the time. All of this work goes on weeks before snow is even forecast.
"It's better to be proactive and keep traffic moving than to see it build up and cars down," Wunschel said. "Then accidents happen."
Salt brine is applied to roads hours before bad weather hits to ensure the initial snow begins to melt. Two area of major concern are County KK and County N: Their high traffic makes it vital to apply preventive measures in the case of snowfall.
"That gives us more time to get out there and respond," Wunschel said.
In Monroe, the Streets and Sanitation Department has also been moving forward with adjustments to trucks and gathering more than 2,000 tons of salt. Public Works Director Colin Simpson said city workers put their first plows on Monday and had everything finished by Thursday afternoon. The fleet used in the city includes 11 plows and roughly a half dozen of heavy equipment pieces such as loaders and street sweepers.
Plow drivers were to meet this morning to go over protocols before they drive a test run with the trucks. Simpson said the city should be prepared regardless of the heavy snowfall predicted, especially due to the high ground temperature.
"We can accommodate quite a bit of snow," Simpson said. "If we get several feet, that's a different story. But even a foot of snow, that is generally manageable."