Thursday snowstorm closes schools, causes slippery roads; De Pere school bus slides into ditch
A Wednesday night snowstorm closed schools across the state and created dangerous road conditions for Thursday morning commuters, including a school bus that slid off a road near the Fox River in De Pere around 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
As of noon Thursday, many roads north of Wisconsin Dells and the Fox Cities were either snow-covered or slippery, according to 511wi.gov. The National Weather Service warned travelers to "take extra caution" while traveling in the morning.
Many major school districts throughout the state closed or delayed school, too. Marshfield, Stevens Point, and Wausau announced a virtual learning day, while Appleton, Oshkosh, and Wisconsin Rapids were closed. Green Bay and La Crosse districts announced a 2-hour delay.
Despite a two-hour delayed start in the De Pere School District, one of its buses slid off Olden Glen Road into a ditch, according to a school representative. However, the middle and high school students safely got out of the bus without any reported injuries and were taken by a different bus to their schools.
Media reports say that about 25-30 students were on the bus, but the district could not confirm the exact number.
As of noon Thursday, snowfall reports included: 2 inches of snow fell in Sheboygan and Fond du Lac; 3 to 4 inches in the Fox Cities, Oshkosh and Manitowoc; 3 inches near Green Bay; 4 to 5 inches in Wisconsin Rapids and Stevens Point; and 5 to 6 inches in Wausau and Marshfield.
The National Weather Service said an additional inch or two is possible before 6 p.m. in the Fox Cities, Green Bay and central Wisconsin. Wisconsin's northernmost counties could see as much as another 6 inches.
However, south of Madison, the snow tapered off, with snow reports of 1-2 inches in Madison. South of Interstate 94 from Milwaukee to Madison and in the Milwaukee area, the roads were mostly clear for the Thursday morning commute, according to 511wi.gov.
Wisconsin weather radar
Can't see the image? Click here.
More:Wisconsin winters can cause cooped-up kids. Here are 15 at-home snow day activities to try
Contact Rebecca Loroff at 920-907-7801 or rloroff@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Snowstorm causes statewide school closings and slippery roads
