All posts by Jay Farlow

I'm Jay Farlow. W9LW is my amateur (ham) radio call sign. I've been a ham since 1973. I've been a volunteer storm spotter for the National Weather Service SKYWARN program since the 1970s. I've also been a volunteer EMT and firefighter and member of a disaster medical assistance team. I advise the leadership team of Associated Churches Active in Disaster, a ministry of Associate Churches of Fort Wayne and Allen County. Learn more about w9lw at www.qrz.com/db/w9lw.
SKYWARN

Fort Wayne issues 5 p.m. snow storm update

From a city news release:

Fort Wayne Street Department trucks have finished plowing primary and secondary streets and have begun plowing residential streets. City crews plan to work through the night to finish residential streets by tomorrow afternoon.

In addition, eight traffic signals were not functioning at 5 p.m., due to power outages. Also, wet snow has covered several traffic signals that face north. The city advises motorists to treat non-functioning or non-visible signals as a four way stop. Traffic crews with bucket trucks will be out all night clearing the snow that is caked on traffic signals.

Read the entire news release.

SKYWARN

Allen County, Ind. travel status reduced to “advisory” level

Seal of Allen County, Ind.

The Allen County Office of Homeland Security has reduced the county’s travel status level from “watch” to “advisory.” An advisory means that routine travel or activities may be restricted in areas because of a hazardous situation, and individuals should use caution or avoid those areas. In a news release, Allen County Commissioners also reported that County Highway Department crews will plow and treat county roads until 6 p.m. They will resume work on road surfaces at 4 a.m. tomorrow.

Read the complete news release.

SKYWARN

NWS publishes snowfall totals as of 2 p.m. EDT

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
215 PM EDT WED MAR 12 2014 /115 PM CDT WED MAR 12 2014/

...LATEST SNOWFALL MEASUREMENTS AS OF 2 PM EDT...


********************STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL********************

LOCATION          STORM TOTAL     TIME/DATE   COMMENTS
                     SNOWFALL           OF
                     /INCHES/   MEASUREMENT

INDIANA

...ALLEN COUNTY...
   E NEW HAVEN            8.5  1258 PM  3/12
   2 ESE WALLEN           8.2   129 PM  3/12
   7 NE FORT WAYNE        7.9  1215 PM  3/12
   5 SW FORT WAYNE        6.7   200 PM  3/12 OFFICIAL NWS OBS
   5 N FORT WAYNE         5.5  1030 AM  3/12

...ELKHART COUNTY...
   NAPPANEE               7.7  1130 AM  3/12
   1 SW MILLERSBURG       6.5  1000 AM  3/12
   SW ELKHART             5.0  1122 AM  3/12

...FULTON COUNTY...
   AKRON                  5.5  1115 AM  3/12

...HUNTINGTON COUNTY...
   HUNTINGTON             6.7   100 PM  3/12

...KOSCIUSKO COUNTY...
   2 N NORTH WEBSTER      7.7   200 PM  3/12  NWS OFFICE OFFICIAL OBS
   2 SW NORTH WEBSTER     4.6   725 AM  3/12

...LA PORTE COUNTY...
   S MICHIGAN CITY        6.5  1029 AM  3/12
   2 SW LA PORTE          5.0  1100 AM  3/12
   5 N LA PORTE           4.3  1116 AM  3/12

...MARSHALL COUNTY...
   TYNER                  6.3  1000 AM  3/12

...PULASKI COUNTY...
   STAR CITY              6.0  1200 PM  3/12
   WINAMAC                6.0  1027 AM  3/12

...ST. JOSEPH COUNTY...
   WALKERTON              5.9  1205 PM  3/12
   2 E GRANGER            4.8   203 PM  3/12

...STARKE COUNTY...
   BASS LAKE              5.5  1015 AM  3/12

...STEUBEN COUNTY...
   4 NNW HUDSON           5.3   138 PM  3/12

...WABASH COUNTY...
   3 WNW WABASH           5.5  1250 PM  3/12

...WHITLEY COUNTY...
   CHURUBUSCO             7.0  1230 PM  3/12

MICHIGAN

...BERRIEN COUNTY...
   BARODA                 6.0   120 PM  3/12
   2 SE BENTON HARBOR     5.5   840 AM  3/12
   1 NNE SAINT JOSEPH     5.5   700 AM  3/12
   1 WNW BUCHANAN         5.0   700 AM  3/12
   2 SSE STEVENSVILLE     5.0   700 AM  3/12
   1 NW SAWYER            4.8   727 AM  3/12
   SODUS                  4.5   721 AM  3/12

...CASS COUNTY...
   DOWAGIAC               6.5  1026 AM  3/12

...HILLSDALE COUNTY...
   4 WSW HILLSDALE        5.0  1100 AM  3/12

...ST. JOSEPH COUNTY...
   COLON                  5.5  1215 PM  3/12

OHIO

...DEFIANCE COUNTY...
   DEFIANCE               7.5  1200 PM  3/12

...FULTON COUNTY...
   7 NW WAUSEON           6.5   950 AM  3/12  1.5 INCHES IN LAST HOUR
   S DELTA                6.0  1155 AM  3/12

...HENRY COUNTY...
   NAPOLEON               6.2  1039 AM  3/12

...PAULDING COUNTY...
   ANTWERP                7.5  1026 AM  3/12

...VAN WERT COUNTY...
   VAN WERT               5.0  1140 AM  3/12

...WILLIAMS COUNTY...
   1 WSW MONTPELIER 1WS   6.6   850 AM  3/12
SKYWARN

City of Fort Wayne to close offices at noon

City of Fort Wayne banner

From a news release:

Due to today’s winter storm, City offices at Citizens Square will close at noon today.

Emergency services will continue to operate. In addition, residents with questions and concerns may continue to contact 311 to have those issues addressed.

All Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation Department facilities will also close at noon. This includes Salomon Farm, the Botanical Conservatory, Community Center, and the Jennings, Cooper, and Weisser youth centers. All classes and activities located in Park Department facilities will resume on Thursday. The sledding hill at Franke Park is closed to winter weather enthusiasts due to dangerous circumstances.

City officials are asking that businesses throughout the City consider taking similar measures as a result of today’s weather conditions.

It’s anticipated that regular business hours for City offices at Citizens Square will resume on Thursday.

Also, from a separate news release:

Because of the thick and wet snow, garbage and recycling efforts are being suspended for the day. Republic Services pulled trucks from the streets after rapid heavy snow fell on Fort Wayne causing several trucks to get stuck. Collection will run one day behind for the remainder of the week.

City of Fort Wayne Street Department crews reported a thick and wet snow with drifting in many areas, as of 10:30 a.m. Plow trucks were out early this morning and will remain on the main arterial streets while the snow and drifting conditions continue. The heavy, wet snowfall carries additional weight making it more difficult to plow streets.

Additionally, power outages were causing 15 traffic signals to not function this morning. Motorists approaching a signal that is not working should treat the intersection as a four-way stop.

Residents should stay away from downed power lines and report them by calling 911.

Residents should call 311 to report traffic signals that are not working or trees and branches that may have fallen into the street.

This week’s schedule Garbage and Recycling Schedule:

Wednesday collection will be Thursday

Thursday collection will be Friday

Friday collection will be Saturday

SKYWARN

Flood warning for St. Joseph River near Fort Wayne

Flood warning map

As if the snow storm wasn’t enough! Early this morning, the northern Indiana office of the National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the St. Joseph River near Fort Wayne. The NWS says snow melt over the past few days caused flooding.

As of 10 a.m., the river level was 12.5 feet at the gauge near the intersection of St. Joe Road and Eby Road. That’s six inches above flood stage. The river wasforecast to fall below flood stage at approximately 11 a.m. this morning. At 12 feet, the river begins flooding lowland and farmland.

Read the verbatim warning statement.

SKYWARN

NWS issues snowfall reports as of 10:30 a.m. EDT

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1035 AM EDT WED MAR 12 2014 /935 AM CDT WED MAR 12 2014/

...LATEST SNOWFALL REPORTS AS OF 1030 AM EDT...



********************STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL********************

LOCATION          STORM TOTAL     TIME/DATE   COMMENTS                   
                     SNOWFALL           OF 
                     /INCHES/   MEASUREMENT

INDIANA

...ALLEN COUNTY...
   7 NE FORT WAYNE        5.8   920 AM  3/12                          
   5 SW FORT WAYNE        4.9   800 AM  3/12 OFFICIAL NWS OBS 
   3 NE FORT WAYNE        4.5   700 AM  3/12 
   3 W FORT WAYNE         4.0   749 AM  3/12

...ELKHART COUNTY...
   WAKARUSA               3.3   700 AM  3/12                          
   NAPPANEE               3.1   640 AM  3/12                          

...FULTON COUNTY...
   AKRON                  3.5   645 AM  3/12                          

...KOSCIUSKO COUNTY...
   2 N NORTH WEBSTER 5.1        800 AM  3/12 NWS OFFICE 
   2 SW NORTH WEBSTER 4.6       725 AM  3/12

...LA PORTE COUNTY...
   S MICHIGAN CITY        6.5  1029 AM  3/12                          

...MARSHALL COUNTY...
   TYNER                  3.8   645 AM  3/12                          

...PULASKI COUNTY...
   WINAMAC                6.0  1027 AM  3/12                          

...ST. JOSEPH COUNTY...
   2 E GRANGER            3.5   735 AM  3/12                          
   S SOUTH BEND           3.3   730 AM  3/12  0.51 INCH SWE           
   5 SE SOUTH BEND        3.3   700 AM  3/12                          
   3 NNE SOUTH BEND       3.1   725 AM  3/12                          
   1 NNE GEORGETOWN       3.0   654 AM  3/12                          
   2 S ROSELAND           3.0   700 AM  3/12                          

...STEUBEN COUNTY...
   4 NNW HUDSON           4.1   900 AM  3/12  3 INCHES SINCE 6 AM     

MICHIGAN

...BERRIEN COUNTY...
   2 SE BENTON HARBOR     5.5   840 AM  3/12                          
   1 NNE SAINT JOSEPH     5.5   700 AM  3/12                          
   1 WNW BUCHANAN         5.0   700 AM  3/12                          
   2 SSE STEVENSVILLE     5.0   700 AM  3/12                          
   1 NW SAWYER            4.8   727 AM  3/12                          
   SODUS                  4.5   721 AM  3/12                          

...CASS COUNTY...
   DOWAGIAC               6.5  1026 AM  3/12                          

OHIO

...DEFIANCE COUNTY...
   DEFIANCE               5.5   923 AM  3/12                          

...FULTON COUNTY...
   7 NW WAUSEON           6.5   950 AM  3/12  1.5 INCHES IN LAST HOUR 

...PAULDING COUNTY...
   ANTWERP                7.5  1026 AM  3/12                          

...VAN WERT COUNTY...
   VAN WERT               4.0   935 AM  3/12                          

...WILLIAMS COUNTY...
   1 WSW MONTPELIER 1WS   6.6   850 AM  3/12                          
   BRYAN                  3.5   754 AM  3/12  1.5 INCHES IN LAST HOUR
SKYWARN

Allen County issues storm situation update

Seal of Allen County, Indiana

The public information office of the Allen County commissioners issued a news release at 9:40 a.m. updating the winter storm situation in the county.

The county remains under a “watch” travel status, which means that conditions are threatening to the safety of the public. During a watch, only essential travel — such as to and from work or in emergency situations — is recommended. Drivers should be aware that conditions are hazardous, drive slowly and have emergency supplies in their vehicles, along with a cell phone.

Heavy snowfall rates combined with the additional weight of this snow is making it more difficult for crews to clear roadways. Motorists should stay off the roads if possible so that highway crews can proceed with the snow removal process, according to the news release.

The county reported dozens of accidents and slide-offs. Although the morning commute has ended, these slide-off and accidents are continuing, particularly along I-69 and I-469.

The heavy, wet snow is also beginning to cause tree branches to break and fall. Some are taking down power lines and some fallen branches are creating traffic hazards. There are numerous reports of wires down and blown electrical transformers causing widespread power outages. Indiana Michigan Power reports over 7,000 customers in Allen County without electricity.

Read the verbatim county news release.