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Monday storm leaves ice, not much snow

Photo

Photo by Bill Olmsted

Traffic makes its way up the Court Street hill as a city plow spreads salt near the intersection with S. Parker Drive.

JANESVILLE — Janesville schools—and many other local districts and services—were closed today, and the Janesville School Board meetings scheduled for tonight were canceled.

But don't expect much snow accumulation on top of the icy slush on local roads.

Precipitation overnight Monday in the Janesville area was "mixier" than anticipated, said Chris Franks, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sullivan. That left morning travelers wading through more slush than snow on the way to work.

"You guys will probably see snow through the afternoon," Franks said. "It should wind down and come to an end this evening."

Franks expects 2 to 3 inches of measurable snow in spots that are cool—like on top of old snow or other elevated spots, but he doubts much will accumulate on the already slushy roads.

Still, the morning commute was slippery.

Rock County and Wisconsin State Patrol dispatchers reported slide-offs but no major accidents by The Janesville Gazette's morning deadline.

Walworth County dispatchers reported roads were snow-covered and slippery.

State emergency officials warned motorists to stay off the roads after dozens of crashes impacted travel.

"We are really advising people who don't have to travel to stay off the roads," said Lori Getter, spokeswoman for Wisconsin Emergency Management. "The crews are out sanding and plowing, but driving conditions are still very treacherous."

As of this morning, the city of Janesville planned to call a snow emergency and get the plows out at 2 p.m., depending on the amount of accumulated snow, said Mandy Bonneville, assistant operations director for the city.

The State Patrol reported multiple accidents, including a semitrailer truck that went off the road in Sauk County and several wrecks near the Jackson-Monroe County line.

Getter said no fatalities had been reported, but that the freezing rain and sleet that fell before the snow caused major problems and "lots" of cars were in ditches in southern Wisconsin.

The National Weather Service forecasted anywhere from 2 to 12 inches or more for most of Wisconsin through Tuesday night, with some of the highest amounts in the Fox Valley area.

"We're in the path of a heavy snowfall track," Scott Cultice of the National Weather Service in Ashwaubenon said. "The potential is there for freezing drizzle, too."

Warm air from the south pushed some of the precipitation to rain, especially near Lake Michigan, where snowfall amounts were predicted to be lowest.

The Associated Press contributed to this report