MONROE - With winter weather finally back, and a fresh 4 to 7 inches on the ground, area officials are advising drivers to break out their winter driving skills.
Green County Sheriff Jeff Skatrud wants people to remember at least three basics for safe winter driving: speed, stopping distance and tires.
"The primary thing to remember: Reduce your speed and increase your stopping distance," he said. "Leave plenty of room for braking between your car and the next vehicle, the curb or stop signs."
"And secondary, make sure your tires, and all your equipment, are in good working order," he said. "Good tires make an incredible difference driving in the snow."
After a snowstorm dumped snow on the area Friday, Skatrud expects roads to be slippery this weekend. "Reduce the temptation to go the normal speed," he added.
Snowfall at Monroe Municipal Airport was reported at 4.7 inches as of 3:30 p.m. Friday, while Orangeville was reporting 7.5 inches as of 6:30 p.m.
Friday's storm started with a winter weather advisory, forcing schools in the region to close early. The storm arrived mid-morning bringing a day-long layering of snow before ending in the early evening, low visibility at times and temperatures dropping below zero overnight.
The anticipated cold temperature was precluding salting as an option for street and highway supervisors.
The City of Monroe street department started laying down lime chips at intersections as the storm got started Friday morning.
"It's slicking up in spots," Tom Boll, department supervisor, said Friday morning.
Boll was preparing to send plows to primary streets as soon as about 1.5 inches of snow accumulated and to secondary roads when 2 inches had fallen.
"We'll be out until about 6:30 or 7 p.m. to get people home," he predicted.
"We'll do a full plowing in the a.m. (2 to 3 a.m.) to get everything cleaned up," he added. "On Saturday, it depends on what we get."
Boll also cautioned drivers to be cautious of slick streets and snowplows.
"Watch out of us, and we'll watch out for you," he said.
Jeff Wunschel, Green County Highway Commissioner, was keeping a close eye on the storm Friday to determine how to best use his personnel and equipment. Overtime costs to keep roads cleared over the weekend could chew up the savings from having no snow in December, he said.
"It's hard to nail down. It's a matter of how it (the storm) ends versus how it's forecasted," he said.
"With the temperatures dropping, the salt is going to have a limited effect," he said. "That's the main thing."
County plows will be scraping roads as much as possible and laying down lime chips.
Without the benefit of salting, packed snow on roads can become icy, further reducing surface traction, he noted.
Wunschel reminded people that traction also varies with the type of road surface: State highways tend to become slipperier faster because of their slick surfaces, while county roads are made with a rougher surface.
Tom Jean, Lafayette County Highway Commissioner, was preparing for the same storm, with scraping roads, he said.
He was hoping to get the snow cleaned up by Friday evening, without running into overtime costs Saturday.
"But we'll see how it turns out," he added. "Maybe, if we have to, get out at 6 a.m. and go for a half day."
Scraping is all he expects to be able to do for this storm.
"We'll try to keep it as dry as possible, and use chips in the bad spots, intersections and on corners."
More wintery weather, including a chance for rain, snow and freezing rain, is expected Sunday and Monday, but with little or no accumulation of ice or snow. High temperatures will be in the 30s.
Green County Sheriff Jeff Skatrud wants people to remember at least three basics for safe winter driving: speed, stopping distance and tires.
"The primary thing to remember: Reduce your speed and increase your stopping distance," he said. "Leave plenty of room for braking between your car and the next vehicle, the curb or stop signs."
"And secondary, make sure your tires, and all your equipment, are in good working order," he said. "Good tires make an incredible difference driving in the snow."
After a snowstorm dumped snow on the area Friday, Skatrud expects roads to be slippery this weekend. "Reduce the temptation to go the normal speed," he added.
Snowfall at Monroe Municipal Airport was reported at 4.7 inches as of 3:30 p.m. Friday, while Orangeville was reporting 7.5 inches as of 6:30 p.m.
Friday's storm started with a winter weather advisory, forcing schools in the region to close early. The storm arrived mid-morning bringing a day-long layering of snow before ending in the early evening, low visibility at times and temperatures dropping below zero overnight.
The anticipated cold temperature was precluding salting as an option for street and highway supervisors.
The City of Monroe street department started laying down lime chips at intersections as the storm got started Friday morning.
"It's slicking up in spots," Tom Boll, department supervisor, said Friday morning.
Boll was preparing to send plows to primary streets as soon as about 1.5 inches of snow accumulated and to secondary roads when 2 inches had fallen.
"We'll be out until about 6:30 or 7 p.m. to get people home," he predicted.
"We'll do a full plowing in the a.m. (2 to 3 a.m.) to get everything cleaned up," he added. "On Saturday, it depends on what we get."
Boll also cautioned drivers to be cautious of slick streets and snowplows.
"Watch out of us, and we'll watch out for you," he said.
Jeff Wunschel, Green County Highway Commissioner, was keeping a close eye on the storm Friday to determine how to best use his personnel and equipment. Overtime costs to keep roads cleared over the weekend could chew up the savings from having no snow in December, he said.
"It's hard to nail down. It's a matter of how it (the storm) ends versus how it's forecasted," he said.
"With the temperatures dropping, the salt is going to have a limited effect," he said. "That's the main thing."
County plows will be scraping roads as much as possible and laying down lime chips.
Without the benefit of salting, packed snow on roads can become icy, further reducing surface traction, he noted.
Wunschel reminded people that traction also varies with the type of road surface: State highways tend to become slipperier faster because of their slick surfaces, while county roads are made with a rougher surface.
Tom Jean, Lafayette County Highway Commissioner, was preparing for the same storm, with scraping roads, he said.
He was hoping to get the snow cleaned up by Friday evening, without running into overtime costs Saturday.
"But we'll see how it turns out," he added. "Maybe, if we have to, get out at 6 a.m. and go for a half day."
Scraping is all he expects to be able to do for this storm.
"We'll try to keep it as dry as possible, and use chips in the bad spots, intersections and on corners."
More wintery weather, including a chance for rain, snow and freezing rain, is expected Sunday and Monday, but with little or no accumulation of ice or snow. High temperatures will be in the 30s.