Franklin County downgraded to Level 1 snow emergency, more snow on the way

Monroe Trombly, The Columbus Dispatch
·4 min read

As of 2 p.m. Christmas Day, Franklin County was downgraded to a Level 1 snow emergency, with more snow on the way.

A Level 1 snow emergency means, according to a tweet from the Franklin County Sheriff's office: "Roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Roads may also be icy. Motorists are urged to drive cautiously."

A Level 2 snow emergency means roads are icy and "only those who feel it is necessary to drive should be out on the roadways."

Franklin County and the surrounding area could receive up to an inch of snow Monday, according to the Wilmington office of the National Weather Service. Snowfall is expected to be heaviest in the morning and linger into the evening.

About four inches of snow fell in Franklin County between Thursday and Sunday, according to the weather service.

Three things to know: Winter plowing, snow emergencies in Columbus and Franklin County

The city of Columbus, through its "Warrior Watch" program, offers real-time information on when city streets were last "serviced."

In Columbus, snow plow routes are prioritized by traffic volume. When it snows, non-interstate freeways, including portions of US 33 and State Routes 315, 104 and 161 are top priority while residential streets are on the lowest rung of the importance ladder. According to the city, residential streets are not salted and only plowed when it snows four or more inches.

According to its website, the city is piloting a program where auxiliary staff are deployed to treat or plow neighborhood streets as soon as it starts to snow when four or more inches are forecast.

Mark Dahnke, the grounds superintendent for The First Congregational Church from Grove City, pulls a lawn mower with a snowplow attached to it out of a pile of snow while clearing sidewalks and parking lots in preparation for the church’s Bethlehem on Broad Street program on Sunday morning.
Mark Dahnke, the grounds superintendent for The First Congregational Church from Grove City, pulls a lawn mower with a snowplow attached to it out of a pile of snow while clearing sidewalks and parking lots in preparation for the church’s Bethlehem on Broad Street program on Sunday morning.

What level snow emergency is Franklin County? What do snow emergency levels mean?

The Level 2 snow emergency was announced by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office at 5:36 a.m. Friday. That was downgraded to Level 1 at about 2 p.m. Sunday.

Snow emergency: What does it mean when Franklin County, Columbus are under snow emergencies?

As Winter Storm Elliot made its way across central Ohio early Friday, bringing snow, high winds and sub-zero temperatures, Delaware, Licking, Madison, Fairfield and Pickaway counties all declared Level 3 snow emergencies, meaning roadways were closed to everyone aside from emergency personnel. All had downgraded their classification to Level 1 by midafternoon Sunday.

At what temperature does salt melting ice?

The abnormally cold temperatures over the weekend posed problems for road crews, as the melting properties of salt decline as it gets colder.

At 30 degrees Fahrenheit, one pound of salt can melt 46 pounds of ice, according to Cargill, a Minneapolis-based food supplier that operates a salt mine in Cleveland. But turn down the temperature to 1 degree Fahrenheit, and one pound of salt can only melt about four pounds of ice. So the colder it gets, the more salt is needed to melt that pesky ice.

A Honda Fit defrosts in a Bexley parking lot. Columbus experienced freezing temperatures, gusty winds and several inches of snow from Winter Storm Elliott, the first real storm of the season, which hit Columbus overnight Thursday. Franklin County was under a Level 2 snow emergency Sunday.
A Honda Fit defrosts in a Bexley parking lot. Columbus experienced freezing temperatures, gusty winds and several inches of snow from Winter Storm Elliott, the first real storm of the season, which hit Columbus overnight Thursday. Franklin County was under a Level 2 snow emergency Sunday.

When will the cold snap end?

Come Tuesday, the cold snap will end and temperatures are expected to climb throughout the week. A balmy high of 58 is predicted for New Year's Eve, though rain could spoil any outdoor festivities.

COTA patrons ride free due to snow emergency

The Central Ohio Transit Authority has again suspended fares due to the Level 2 snow emergency in Franklin County that was still in effect Sunday morning.

The no-fare policy will be in effect each day when the service day begins with a Level 2 or 3 snow emergency and remains in effect until the end of the day, regardless if the emergency is downgraded to Level 1, COTA said in a news release.

Snow hits Ohio: Franklin County under Level 2 snow emergency; Delaware, Pickaway counties at Level 3

"COTA offers this community service to encourage those who must travel to take public transit instead of their personal vehicles; this will reduce traffic accidents in difficult driving conditions and assist the efforts of countywide snow removal and salting," COTA said in the release.

Monroe Trombly covers breaking and trending news.

mtrombly@dispatch.com

@monroetrombly

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Franklin County downgraded to Level 1 snow emergency; more snow coming