Heavy snowfall is expected to continue impacting the Great Lakes region, which is still recovering from a series of intense storms that have resulted in tragic accidents, the collapse of a barn with numerous cows inside, and towns buried under nearly six feet of snow. Cleanup efforts were ongoing Tuesday in parts of western New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan. While some areas experienced only a couple of inches, others saw enormous accumulations of snow. New York, in particular, remained under a lake-effect snow warning into Tuesday, forecasting an additional 4 to 8 inches of snow as reported by the National Weather Service.
The weight of snowfall caused structural damage to an Ohio high school, leading to a partial collapse of its roof over the weekend while the school was closed. District officials in the vicinity of Ashtabula reported additional damage on Monday, estimating that repairs would take weeks and that they are contemplating relocating classes during that period.
For areas east of Cleveland by Lake Erie, over five feet of snow has settled so far, with more predicted for later in the week. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch starting Wednesday night and lasting into Friday.
In North Perry, Ohio, Todd Brainard took precautionary measures, using a roof rake to clear several feet of snow from his house. He expressed his concern, stating, “I just don’t want to take the chance of having the roof cave in on my kids or wife or any one of us.” He remarked that many have not encountered such significant snowfall in a long time.
On Tuesday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency across four counties in recognition of the incoming snow squalls and strong winds predicted over the coming days. In neighboring western Pennsylvania, forecasts suggest an additional 3 to 9 inches of snow from late Wednesday through Thursday morning, prompting many local school districts to remain closed due to the heavy lake-effect snowfall.
The Pennsylvania National Guard has been actively aiding transportation for healthcare workers and medical cases, as well as rescuing stranded motorists with Humvees and tactical vehicles throughout the past few days, according to spokesperson Major Travis Mueller.
Erie, Pennsylvania, is still grappling with several feet of snow, which has left over 200 cars abandoned and complicating street-clearing efforts. The city’s assistant fire chief, Gregory Purchase, described the storm as “unprecedented” in terms of its severity, even for a location well-acquainted with lake-effect snow.
County officials in Erie have asked residents to assist in clearing snow from fire hydrants in their neighborhoods. Additionally, inmates from the local jail are expected to participate in the cleanup efforts starting Wednesday.
The recent heavy snowfall has been linked to multiple tragic vehicle accidents. One incident in Iowa on Monday morning resulted in three fatalities, attributed to a driver crossing into oncoming traffic while attempting to pass a snowplow, as confirmed by Iowa State Patrol authorities. In western Kentucky, a crash occurring on Monday night blocked Interstate 24 for hours, resulting in two deaths, as winter weather conditions contributed to a series of accidents along the highway.
Meanwhile, in southeast Alaska, residents are facing an ice storm warning along with flood watches due to rain combined with melting snow. Juneau, the capital, had heavy snowfall over the weekend before a shift to rain as temperatures began to rise.
