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January 28, 2009

Snowfall exceeds predictions

BY BRIAN L. HUCHEL

DANVILLE — This was not the snowfall Bob Scott expected.

City snow plow plans were adjusted after Scott, services and operations manager for Danville Public Works, realized the late Monday forecast he received for about an inch of snow in the area on Tuesday was going to be a little off the mark.

“It just kept coming down and coming down,” he said Wednesday.

Snowfall totals were greater the farther south you went, both in Vermilion County and across the state. Just more than 5 inches of snow reported by the National Weather Service in Danville was sandwiched by totals of 3.5 inches in Bismarck and 8 inches reported northwest of Sidell.

Scott said the decision was made about 10 p.m. Tuesday to go ahead and hit the streets.

“The way it was coming down and as sloppy at it was getting, we thought we better get out there,” he said.

City trucks were plowing throughout the night and into the morning hours. Temperatures, however, kept some tools at bay since it was too cold for salt to work on the streets.

Treatment of residential areas was expected to be finished Wednesday afternoon, Scott said, adding salt would be used to clean up the intersections and along the main streets in Danville.

Crews were expected to continue working into Wednesday night. Scott said trucks were scheduled until 11 p.m. to haul snow out of the downtown area. The snow was expected to be dropped off at Ellsworth Park.

Despite the heavy snow, motorists were staying safe on the roadways. Capt. Dennis Wood of the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Department reported no major accidents Wednesday morning.

The sheriff’s departments in Fountain, Vermillion and Warren counties in Indiana reported a few slide-offs, but no major accidents or injuries as a result of the winter weather.

Heavy snow conditions were a welcome sight for many students in the county and the drifts caused all school districts but Danville District 118 to close their doors for the day.

The National Weather Service predicts scattered flurries today. After Friday, snow is not expected in the forecast for the next seven days.

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