Indianapolis will remain under a travel advisory through Wednesday morning after a snow storm brought more than half a foot of snow to Central Indiana Monday and into Tuesday morning.
City officials said roads were “technically passable” Tuesday morning but encouraged residents not to take non-essential trips.
“For your safety, and the safety of others who must be on roadways, please consider staying at home — teleworking if possible — while plow crews continue to clear roadways,” Indianapolis police Emergency Management Bureau Commander Tom Sellas said.
How much snow did Indianapolis get?
The city recorded between 7.5 and 9.5 inches of snow as of early Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Meteorologists said unofficial reports from around the city indicate about 8.5 inches of snow fell on the west side, about 9 inches accumulated on the north side and around 9.5 inches fell on the south side.
Travel advisories: What Indiana’s system means
“It is the biggest snowfall we’ve seen of the season and the most we’ve seen in the last couple years,” NWS meteorologist Aaron Updike said. “It’s just a winter storm that definitely has an impact on Central Indiana.”
Updike said a snow band in the Central Indiana region added another half-inch of snow early Tuesday, and snow is expected to accumulate until around 8 a.m. Light snow showers and flurries will then move into the region before precipitation stops around noon.
More snow totals:from around Central Indiana
The NWS in a hazardous weather outlook statement posted Tuesday morning noted winds have died down from the 25 mph gusts Monday to around 5 mph. But the service said blowing and drifting of snow “will still create travel issues through the morning commute.”
No significant power outages were reported in Central Indiana Tuesday morning, according to Indianapolis Power & Light and Duke Energy, which service the area.
Travel advisories Indiana
Marion County’s yellow, advisory-level travel restrictions were the lowest in the state early Tuesday.
The other 91 Indiana counties were either under a “watch” advisory, which recommends only essential travel for work and emergency purposes, or a “warning” advisory, which directs residents to refrain from all travel. Boone and Johnson counties were under the warning advisory, while the other doughnut counties were under the orange watch label.
Marion County’s advisory will continue at least through 6 a.m. Wednesday, and the state’s Department of Homeland Security said routine travel may be restricted due to hazardous conditions.
Indianapolis road conditions
Major roads and highways in the Indianapolis area were listed in “fair” condition Tuesday morning, according to the Indiana Department of Transportation. The department reported packed and drifting snow on I-465 and its offshoot highways.
The Indianapolis Department of Public Works Tuesday morning said it will activate two contracted snow removal vendors to plow a number of residential streets.
The city’s snow crews have been active since Sunday treating thoroughfares and secondary streets on standard routes, and the additional vendor support will target more than 300 miles of smaller streets further into residential areas, according to the department.
The latest road conditions: How to check
Indianapolis airport delays
Snow crews at the Indianapolis International Airport have been working to clear runways and roads around the airport since Monday morning, according to an airport spokesperson.
At least five flights out of Indianapolis were delayed and six were cancelled Tuesday morning. Three of those canceled departures were scheduled to fly to Texas, which has experienced delays and temporary closures in certain parts of the state.
Indianapolis’ airport remained open Tuesday, and airport officials encouraged travelers to check with their airlines about potential disruptions prior to arriving at the airport.
The outlook
Updike, the meteorologist, said the snow accumulation from the week is not expected to go away any time soon. Temperatures will be in the teens Tuesday with below-zero wind chills and are expected to remain below freezing throughout the rest of the week.
Another system of snow is expected to move into the region Wednesday afternoon through Thursday, which will add anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of snow to the current accumulation, Updike said.
“It takes a lot of energy (to melt the snow),” he added. “It’s gonna be a while until we see seasonal or above seasonal temperatures.”
Contact Lawrence Andrea at 317-775-4313 or landrea@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @lawrencegandrea.
