Dear Road Crews - YOU SUCKED Today

There's so much detail here, I can't even begin to respond....

Obama said this would happen.

I agree. It was almost like they didn't realize this stuff was coming. They woke up at 7 am and said, "S#IT!"

Agreed. But in their defense - I think the snow fell heaviest right during rush hour. Was still one of the worst drives into work that I have ever had.

Damn the city workers for being too lazy to open the giant umbrella over Toledo!

They still sucked at 10:30

It's Bush's fault.

I was on the road between 6:30-7:15 AM today and the roads were slick, but not horrible. The thing that I was shocked to see is 2 different city (not highway) trucks passed me going in the other direction were throwing salt. Their plow blades were up. I'm not 'Mr. Plow', but I would think that may have helped.

Ohio plowed/salted the right two lanes.
Michigan plowed/salted the left two lanes.

Big surprise just after the state line.

I said the exact same thing to my wife - we just got back from the gym. Jeez Louise... what has become of all the money they have saved in the last few years since there has been so little snow? They can't take care of a few meezly inches?

I agree. It was almost like they didn't realize this stuff was coming. They woke up at 7 am and said, "S#IT!"

Bill Spencer has been telling us this was going to happen for TWO days! There is NO EXCUSE for the roads to be as bad as they were today.

Y'all do realize that it was freezing rain and sleet falling from the skies, and that it formed a considerable layer of ice, right? Oh, and that this icy shite fell when the temps were in the low 20s, meaning that melt is more difficult to achieve than at, say, 30 degrees?

I mean, not to rain on your road-crew-hate parade or anything, but ice is a helluva lot tougher to remove than fluffy white snowflakes.

My experience this morning was not so much ice but snow. Lots of it still on the highways. I live in the point and work on Talmadge. 75 and 475 were a mess - like guessing which lane you might be in mess.

But I get your point HistoryMike. Its still winter. its gonna snow. And in reality I think drivers did a decent job of finding their way to where they were going safely and I guess that's what matters. Its almost March and we have finally regained out winter driving skills!

Last night they started predicting more snow then ice. What I think happened is the road crews were betting the temps would rise quick enough they wouldn't have to treat very much. Well...it is 4:00pm and it finally hit freezing when even yesterday midday they were predicting as high as 38.

On my way in I only saw one crew in Sylvania and I came down Central...Not sure if it was planning or how quickly it hit...but they definitely were not at their best today.

The idiots on the radio were complaining what a letdown the weather was and were making fun of the schools being closed.

I was lucky enough to go to work in the gap between the snow and the rain. It just started raining as I walked from my car. Also, my Jeep digs the snow; ice, not so much.

Don't complain, it's your tax cuts at work!

Fair warning ROAD CREWS...

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
401 PM EST SUN FEB 24 2013

OHZ003-006>008-017-018-252115-
LUCAS-WOOD-OTTAWA-SANDUSKY-HANCOCK-SENECA-
401 PM EST SUN FEB 24 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST OHIO.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

A STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHWEST OHIO TUESDAY INTO
TUESDAY NIGHT. SOME ICE AND SNOW ACCUMULATION MAY OCCUR. THE
AMOUNTS ARE QUESTIONABLE DEPENDING ON THE TRACK OF THE LOW. LATER
FORECASTS NEED TO BE MONITORED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

$$

Excerpt from the 4:09 p.m., Sun, Feb 24, 2013 Clev NWS forecast discussion about Tuesday's weather.

leaning towards a 2-4 inch snow towards
toledo with a little bit of sleet and rain mixing in. decided not
to issue a winter storm watch given the uncertainty in thermal
profiles and proximity to the warmer air. this will need to be
monitored and adjusted in the next couple cycles.

I just walked into the bedroom and the alert light is glowing on the weather radio. I didn't hear it, music's too loud, but I checked TWC.com and I see nothing threatening at all. Is it for flooding or what? thx.

I don't think the weather radio alarm sounded today for the local area. The NWS does not activate the alarm for hazardous weather outlook statements, nor for the Winter Weather Advisory that we had on Friday.

I think the last time the alarm was activated for our area was for the weekly Wednesday morning test that typically occurs between 11:00 a.m. and Noon. The test sounds the alarm and causes the light to flash. On my old weather radio, the light will flash until I turn on the weather radio broadcast, so it could flash for days.

As posted above here and here, the Cleveland National Weather Service expects a mixture of precip in northwest Ohio on Tuesday: snow, sleet, freezing rain, and rain. Obviously, the amount of precip for each type depends upon the temps aloft and at the surface, which will be around freezing.

If you like the Weather Channel website, fine, but I think you can get what you need from these two government sources:

• Lucas County Zone Forecast and Toledo Express Airport conditions
• Area Forecast Discussion

The most recent area forecast discussion said this:

The discussion did not mention flooding potential, although some areas of Ohio could get a fair amount of rain on Tuesday.

At this point, it's possible that Toledo will get some accumulating snow before precip changes to something else. I think "messy" sums it up. It's unclear when on Tuesday morning the precip begins. Before or after daybreak?

Latest forecast for the Toledo area:

Monday Night: Partly cloudy in the evening...then becoming mostly cloudy. Lows in the upper 20s. East winds 10 to 15 mph.

Tuesday: Snow...rain...a chance of freezing rain and sleet. Brisk with highs in the mid 30s. East winds 15 to 25 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.

Tuesday Night: Snow and rain showers. Near steady temperature in the lower 30s. Southeast winds 15 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.

Wednesday: Snow showers likely. Near steady temperature in the mid 30s. Chance of snow 70 percent.

The Weather Channel website is a damn sight better than the TV one with their 'reality' shows. My test alert was Thursday this week, always been Wednesday, I wondered what happened, weird. Thanks for the links.

On Sunday, Winter Storm Watches were issued for Fulton and Monroe counties for Tuesday. That may have caused the weather alarm to sound. Nothing for Lucas, Wood, and Ottawa counties.

This statement was issued by the northern Indiana NWS, and it includes Fulton County.

Statement as of 9:16 PM CST on February 24, 2013

... Winter Storm Watch remains in effect from Tuesday morning
through Tuesday evening...

Hazardous weather...

• significant ice accumulations are possible Tuesday morning
     across parts of North Central Indiana and Northwest Ohio...
     roughly near and south of Highway 6.

• Heavy snow is possible Tuesday into Tuesday night across far
     northern Indiana... extreme Northwest Ohio and southwest lower
     Michigan. Accumulations of 3 to 7 inches of snow are
     possible... mainly near and north of Highway 6.

• Blowing and drifting snow is possible.

This statement was issued by the Detroit/Pontiac NWS, and it includes Monroe County.

Statement as of 3:34 PM EST on February 24, 2013

... Winter Storm Watch in effect from Tuesday afternoon through
late Tuesday night...

The National Weather Service in Detroit/Pontiac has issued a
Winter Storm Watch... which is in effect from Tuesday afternoon
through late Tuesday night.

Hazardous weather...

• there is the potential for 6 or more inches of snow.

• Snowfall rates may exceed an inch an hour at times.

Impacts...

• rapid snow accumulations and poor visibilities may lead to
     hazardous travel conditions.

• The heavy wet snow may put stress on trees and power
     lines... causing some power outages.

Statements for Lucas, Wood, and Ottawa counties come from the Cleveland NWS.

Tuesday's precip will impact the afternoon and evening drive-time on Tuesday.

But the Cleveland NWS contradicts itself with this afternoon's statements, concerning snowfall amounts in the Toledo area.

Here's the latest forecast issued at 3:55 p.m. on Mon, Feb 25, 2013:

Tuesday: A chance of sleet. Rain and snow...mainly in the afternoon. Snow and sleet accumulation of 1 to 3 inches. Minor icing possible. Brisk with highs in the mid 30s. East winds 15 to 25 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.

Tuesday Night: A chance of rain and sleet in the evening...then snow. Total snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches. Breezy. Near steady temperature in the lower 30s. East winds 15 to 25 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.

Here's the latest Winter Storm Watch statement issued at 3:45 p.m. on Mon, Feb 25, 2013:

lucas-wood-ottawa-
including the cities of...toledo...bowling green...port clinton

the system continues to slow with precipitation not
beginning in northwest ohio until around noon. precipitation is
expected to fall as a mix of rain...sleet...and snow on tuesday
afternoon. temperatures will be near freezing at the onset and
minor icing is possible. snow will continue tuesday night with
total snow accumulations in excess of 6 inches possible by
wednesday morning.

More info from the 4:24 p.m., Mon, Feb 25, 2013 area forecast discussion

winter storm watch remains in effect for lucas...wood...ottawa counties that are more on the fringe of the warm air.

earlier forecasts highlighted more of a threat of icing in this area but now expecting surface temps to be more in the 32-34 degree range although flow off lake erie will prevent temperatures from rising any further.

with that said a period of sleet is likely during the afternoon with a few inches of wet snow. initial surge of precipitation lifts north across the area with a break possible late afternoon as the system becomes increasingly wrapped up and mid-level dry air gets pulled into the system. precipitation will increase again during the evening

total snowfall could exceed 6 inches and with some sleet causing slick conditions early in the event.

the last few models cycles have shown enough variation with thermal profiles - timing and distribution of precipitation - that wanted to allow the midnight shift to see 00z model before making final headline decisions.

this still allows enough time given the slower onset of precipitation. the winter storm watch timing is now from noon [Tuesday] until 4 am [Wednesday].

Received an email and the EMA director has cancelled the Skywarn training that was supposed to take place at Lake Twp HS due to the coming storm.

(Winter weather event downgraded for Toledo.)

urgent - winter weather message
national weather service cleveland oh
356 am est tue feb 26 2013

lucas-wood-ottawa-
including the cities of...toledo...bowling green...port clinton

temperatures will be near freezing as precipitation develops
late this morning and this afternoon. areas that are near or below
freezing will see freezing rain and some sleet in which case a
glaze of ice is likely. the precipitation will change back to snow
late tonight or wednesday.

the national weather service in cleveland has issued a winter
weather advisory from noon today to 6 pm est wednesday.

• accumulations....a glaze of ice is possible today. ice
  accumulations could locally be a tenth of an inch. some sleet is
  also possible. the rain will change back to snow tonight and
  wednesday and 2 to locally 4 inches will accumulate by
  wednesday night.

• timing...the precipitation will develop late this morning or
  early this afternoon.

• winds...east 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.

• impacts...untreated roads and sidewalks could get icy.

• temperatures...in the lower and mid 30s.

• visibilities...will not be significantly restricted unless fog
  develops off lake erie.

• roads conditions could vary...with some sections just wet and
  others icy. use caution.

Irony.

13ABC: Weather spotting training canceled due to weather

The Skywarn Severe Weather Spotter class scheduled for Tuesday in Wood County has been canceled due to anticipated severe weather.

Freezing raid right now here on the MI/OH border.

around my house the ground is not absorbing this water at all. my yard is quickly turning into a lake!

yeah, mine, too, upso, especially right under the bird feeder, poor babies. puddles everywhere. freezing rain started about noon here and some of the trees are lower than normal with 1/2 inch icicles (yes, I went out and measured, lol).

Icicles are gone, it's 34 here now