Daily Independent (Ashland, KY)

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February 2, 2013

Additional accumulation expected today

Carrie Stambaugh The Independent

ASHLAND — Old Man Winter will hang around the Tri-State for most of next week, weather officials said on Friday.

Freezing temperatures and additional snowfall were predicted throughout the weekend with accumulation of up to eight inches in some areas.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory on Friday afternoon to begin at 10 a.m. today and extend through 10 a.m. on Sunday. Forecasters were calling for an additional two to 10 inches of snow to fall in most areas on top of the snow already on the ground.

NWS meteorologist Tim Axford said a “smattering of one to four inches” fell across the region late Thursday night and early Friday morning. Ashland recorded about two inches of snow, while Grayson reported three inches and Olive Hill and Warnock reported four inches.

Axford said snowfall amounts depended mostly on local topography. Gusty winds also contributed to some areas receiving more accumulation than others, he said.

Another storm system will be responsible for the additional snow over the weekend. “We don’t see enough of a warmup for any mixed precipitation,” said Axford. “It will be all snow.

“We’ve got it coming in about sunup on Saturday morning. For those folks who stay home on the weekend, they can enjoy a nice snow show. For those venturing out, it could be a little tricky at midday,” said Axford.

“Around the middle of the afternoon we are expecting the highest chances of snow,” he said, noting the NWS is predicting 100 percent chance of snow today.

The Ashland area is expected to get between two to four inches from today into Sunday, he said. Some locations at higher elevations can expect an additional three to five, while an additional six to 10 inches could fall in the West Virginia mountains.

Any snow that does fall is expected to stick around, said Axford. Lows will remain in the upper teens and mids 20s through the beginning of next week while highs will remain in the 30s.

The sun is also not expected to be visible much into Monday or Tuesday as clouds will dominate bringing the occasional “random shots of snow,” said Axford.

Ashland Public Works Director Marion Russell said the city is prepared for the additional snow. Crews would continue treating roads into Friday night, he said, and would begin again this morning. “We will have people out monitoring the streets all night,” he said.

The city received a shipment of salt on Friday and had about 600 tons on hand, Russell said. “We will act according to whatever the weather does,” he said.

Russell said the routes from all directions to King’s Daughters Medical Center are always “priority No. 1,” followed by the city’s other primary streets and hilly streets. “Then we go to the level residential streets after that,” he said.

He advised motorists to use caution. “They need to drive like their life depends on it, and yours and mine, too,” he said.

City workers were also paying close attention to the rising Ohio River, and as of Friday had lowered underground flood gates in place at four locations. These gates control the backflow of water into the storm water system, he explained.

Russell said the river was expected to crest just above 50 feet this afternoon.  

CARRIE STAMBAUGH can be reached at cstambaugh@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2653.

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