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Winds might make storm troublesome

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Southern Wisconsin snow 2009-10

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JANESVILLE — It’s not so much the snowing as the blowing that will wear out county road crews over the next few days, their boss said Monday.

Rock County Public Works Director Ben Coopman said he sent plow crews home early Monday to rest up.

The forecast Monday afternoon called for the snow to hold off until 9:30 p.m. Monday, Coopman said, so he scheduled most of the plowers to come in at 4 a.m. today. Unfortunately, flakes began falling about three hours earlier.

The crews will begin a job that might not end for four days.

Elected officials have mandated that the county not provide 24-hour coverage, Coopman said, so county and town roads don’t get plowed between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m.

A 4 a.m. start gives plows a head start as they work to keep roads open for commuters and school buses.

Winds are expected to pick up and swing around the compass as the storm moves through, starting with an easterly flow. Then, winds will blow stronger, coming out of the north as the storm progresses. Finally, the wind will be out of the west, Coopman said.

That means crews will be busy long after the snow stops falling to take care of drifting.

The forecast was changing rapidly Monday, but by early evening the National Weather Service was calling for 6 to 13 inches of light, fluffy snow in the Janesville area, with more snow to the east.

Light snow means more drifting, Coopman said, and more danger.

Winds can whip up so much snow in the wide open spaces outside of cities that plow crews sometimes won’t be able to see where they’re going. It’ll also be difficult for other vehicles to see the plows.

That means the potential for accidents and runoffs is high, making an exhausting job treacherous as well.

Crews probably will be working 10- to 14-hour shifts over the next several days with eight to 10 hours off in between shifts, Coopman said.

When the emphasis shifts from snowing to drifting, crews already will have worked some long days.

“By the third day, they’re usually dragging,” Coopman said.