The Presidents Day storm, the third in 10 days, forced numerous cancellations and closings and led to dozens of crashes, including one that left a man in critical condition after his van was struck by a train in New Miami.
With the majority of snow accumulation passed, Hawblizel said today’s temperature should reach 27 degrees and residents should only see about an inch more of snow. “Right now ... this could be it for snow accumulation, but it looks like there’s a chance for (more) later in the week,” he said.
‘What can you do?’
At the Kroger Marketplace Plaza in Liberty Twp., a few people shuffled from their cars to the various shops for work or errands that not even a snowstorm could stop.
Dan Yancey, 56, of Liberty Twp., stood in the parking lot and scraped the ice and snow off his windows. One of his wiper blades fell off as he cleaned his windshield.
“Isn’t it always the way?” Yancey said with a shrug of his shoulders before uncovering the blade from the slushy ground. “What can you do?”
Yancey, who works for beauty products manufacturer KAO Brands out of Cincinnati, said he was one of only eight people who showed up for work Monday because of the snow.
“Why am I out in this? It’s real simple: bills,” Yancey said. “I’ve got bills to pay and snow isn’t going to pay them for me. My wife needs medication and that costs a lot of money.”
At Wing Eye Care, patients waited in the lobby for their scheduled eye exams. Employee Debbie Sullivan of Middletown said the office would stay open as long as patients showed up for appointments.
“It hasn’t been a typical day here,” Sullivan said. “But, I would say we’ve still been pretty busy. For me, I guess if everyone is careful when they drive, it’s really not so bad.”
Buffalo Rings and Wings restaurant still had a “small lunchtime rush” according to server Jessica Alford of West Chester, who didn’t hesitate to share her feelings about the weather. “I hate the snow and cold,” she said. “Hate driving in it. My boyfriend brought me in today. I just don’t like being in it at all.”
Most shoppers at the Kroger Marketplace purchased the basic staples including bread, milk and medications from the pharmacy. The Fifth Third Bank location at Kroger closed early for the day because of the weather, which was fine for employee Cassandra Colwell. She brushed off her car quickly to get started on her trip back home to Trenton.
“This third round (of snow) is two rounds too many,” Colwell said. “I’m done with it now. But, I’m glad that I get a snow day. The kids get them, so it’s nice when we get them, too.”
Snow emergencies
As of 12:15 a.m. today, Feb. 16, both Butler and Warren counties were under a Level 2 snow advisory.
A Level 2 advisory means roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow and may also be very icy. Only those who feel it is necessary to drive should be out on the roads. Residents should contact employers to find out whether to should report to work. Motorists should use extreme caution.
Also amid the storm, Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones Monday afternoon announced that the Resolutions Center jail, 442 S. Second St., in Hamilton, would open as an emergency shelter.
Road crews, salt supplies taxed
The unrelenting snow caused treacherous driving conditions and taxed road crews and salt supplies.
“It’s coming down as fast as we can clear it off,” said Ron Phelps, Middletown’s public works superintendent, Monday afternoon. “We’re trying to conserve road salt by just plowing right now, as we don’t want to throw down salt and then just plow it right back up.”
Fairfield Public Works Director Dave Butsch said by the end of this third storm, crews will likely have used close to 5,500 tons of salt. He said the city’s record is around 6,200 tons. And with several weeks still left in winter, Butsch said it wouldn’t surprise him to see the city use more than 6,000 tons.
The city has about 1,000 tons of salt on hand and receive daily deliveries. The city received about 150 tons of salt on Monday.
“As long as we keep getting it, we’ll be fine,” Butsch said.
Warren County update
Warren County had 17 of its 18 trucks out plowing snow and treating roads, according to county Engineer Neil Tunison.
On average, Warren County uses about 8,000 tons of salt a year, he said.
So far this season, the county has used about 6,000 tons of salt prior to
Monday’s latest snow storm.
“We’re usually at the end of the snow season by mid-February, but this year is unusual because of the late big storms,” he said. “It’s unusual to have this much cold air in February.”
Tunison said the county received an additional 1,000 tons of salt last week and has ordered another 1,000 tons to be delivered this week. He said the county started the season, with 1,400 tons in stock.
The county’s order for this season is 9,000 tons at a cost of $65.60 a ton.
If the county buys its entire order, the total cost will be $590,000.
As for Monday’s efforts, Tunison said there have been few problems as many schools, businesses as well as the local and county governments had the day off.
“Hopefully things will warm up a bit and we’re not fighting so much snow,” Tunison said.
Plenty of salt, not many shovels
If residents are in need of salt, most local hardware stores report they are well-stocked. However, snow shovels, blowers and other equipment are a different story.
“The problem is we have some ice melter right now but we are all out of sleds and snow shovels,” said Doug Trimmer, owner of Trimmer Hardware in Hamilton. “The last storm wiped us out and supplies are hard to get because people are buying them up because there is snow all over the country. Our warehouse serves three states and they are out of every shovel and don’t know if they will get more in.”
Dan Diver of Diver’s Garden and Pet Supplies in Middletown said they still have plenty of shovels and other snow supplies and have another shipment of salt coming in this morning. Used to the frenzy of the last-minute shoppers that will come in by the hundreds during a storm, Diver said they may be a small store, but they always try to keep their shelves full.
“I’ve had a number of people in this morning that said they tried everywhere else and we are the only ones who have the supply,” he said. “We supply the school systems and commercial buildings like AK Steel with their ice melt so we sell a lot of it and we try to keep it in stock.”
Another hot ticket item at Diver’s is bird seed, Diver said. “Wild birds have a hard time finding a source of food right now and we have an awful lot of customers that come in each week for bird seed and feeders. They’re dedicated,” he said.
About 80 percent of customers coming in during the last few weeks have been seeking shovels and salt at Ross Hardware, said manager Alan Vennefront.
It’s wearing his shop’s supplies thin, and all the shovels are already gone.
“I will say out in our area of town the planning does not happen and when (the snow) hits is when they come out,” he said. “Rural Hamilton and Ross don’t plan ahead. Hopefully we don’t run out of salt.”
By 1 p.m. Monday, Springboro Hardware sold its last shovel and is out of snow blowers, said Brian Anspach in customer service. He said they have some salt left but “soon people may be out of luck.”
Businesses close, cancel events
Several local sporting events have been postponed.
Here is a schedule of boys basketball games:
Madison at Preble Shawnee, rescheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 17;
Hamilton at Fairfield, rescheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 23;
Sycamore at Lakota West, rescheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 17;
Middletown Christian at Xenia Christian, rescheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 23
Here is schedule of girls basketball games:
Hamilton at Oak Hills, rescheduled for Thursday, Feb. 18;
Franklin vs. Clinton-Massie, Division II sectional at Springboro, rescheduled for Thursday, Feb. 18;
Badin vs. Batavia, Division III sectional at Wilmington, rescheduled for Thursday, Feb. 18;
Carlisle vs. Springfield NE, Division III sectional at Wilmington), rescheduled for Thursday, Feb. 18;
Ross at Talawanda, reschedule date TBA
The girls diving Division I sectional meet, rescheduled for Thursday, Feb. 18 at Miami University.
Madison High School’s baseball conditioning will resume from 2:45 to 4 p.m. Wednesday
Other cancellations
Edgewood Board of Education meeting has been rescheduled for 6 p.m. today, Feb. 16 at the board office.
Also, the Liberty Twp. Zoning Commission meeting tonight has been rescheduled to 7 p.m. March 1.