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MUNCIE, Ind. — Delaware County on Wednesday morning was under a yellow travel advisory as a storm expected to leave behind about five inches of snow moved through East Central Indiana.
Delaware County Emergency Management Agency reported early Wednesday that roads were becoming slick.
The yellow level is the lowest level of local travel advisory, with motorists urged to “give yourself plenty of time and drive with caution.” a press release said.
Gregory Melo, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the storm was now expected to dump about 5 inches of snow on Delaware County before the precipitation slacks off mid-afternoon. Areas south of Interstate 70 are likely to see the snow change to rain due to warmer air coming up from the south.
Delaware County emergency dispatchers said at 7:30 a.m. they had only dealt with a handful of weather-related traffic accidents, none reported to involve serious injuries.
Tommie Humbert, Delaware County highway superintendent, reported plowing was going well at 11:30 a.m.
“It’s a really heavy snow,” Humbert said, which he added had helped reduce drifting with the wind. “If this was a powder, this county would be shut down right now.”
The county had 13 large trucks plowing and three small trucks with blades cleaning thoroughfares and secondary roads in the county. This year, Humbert said, the plow crews are working in 12-hour shifts and came on duty at 3 a.m. Wednesday morning. Another shift was to report at 3 p.m.
Humbert said there would be 15 large plow trucks working on county roads through Wednesday night.
He said another factor working in the favor of the road crews was the temperature stay around the mid-thirties, keeping ice from becoming too much of a problem. Had it be colder, the situation would have been much worse.
A vehicle struck a utility pole near Delta High School along Ind. 28, leading to the state highway to temporarily being closed to traffic until repairs could be made. Some power outages in the area were also reported.
Muncie Police Chief Nate Sloan and Jeff Stanley, chief deputy of the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department, reported few major problems associated with the weather as of late Wednesday morning.
Several area schools systems, including Muncie Community Schools, were closed Wednesday due to the snowfall. MCS students will have an e-Learning day.
Melo said snow showers, with about an inch addition accumulation is expected to continue on and off tonight and over the next few days.
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