Winter weather is predicted to arrive in Columbus today, but no one knows just how much ice and snow could accumulate.
“Everything is changing all the time,” said Todd Noblitt, director of the county’s 911 Emergency Operations Center. “We have to keep re-evaluating all the time to be better prepared.”
The National Weather Service is predicting that ice and snow will accumulate this morning before changing over to all snow by this afternoon.
About 1 to 3 inches of snow are expected in most of south central Indiana, but those amounts could be higher in some areas, forecasters said.
Winds of 15 to 20 miles per hour, with higher gusts, could result in blowing and drifting of snow on rural roads and highways.
Earlier in the week, computer models were predicting that up to an inch of accumulated ice could fall in south central Indiana this weekend, according to Bartholomew County Emergency Management Director Shannan Hinton.
But by Friday, updated forecasts were calling for considerably less amounts, Hinton said.
Recent rains have left the ground so saturated that it has increased the possibility of strong gusty winds breaking off limbs and uprooting trees, which could bring down power lines, Hinton said.
A major concern for Hinton is the possibility of homes losing their only source of heat prior to Sunday, which will usher in two days of the most bitterly cold temperatures of the season to date.
No matter your age or physical condition, all Hoosiers will need to limit their time outdoor Sunday and Monday to avoid conditions such as hypothermia or frostbite, Hinton said.
First responders are increasing staffing on Saturday when the ice is expected to start accumulating, Hinton said. They will remain on standby for the rest of the weekend just in case they are needed, she said.
Representatives of the American Red Cross have already met with first responders to look over plans to open emergency shelters just in case they are needed, Hinton said.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Elementary basketball competition” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
A decision to whether today’s Elementary Basketball League championship games will be played as scheduled will be made by 9 a.m. Meanwhile, a decision on whether the cheer competition can be held today will be made by 1 p.m.
Both announcements will be posted on the EBL and Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. websites, event coordinator Dennis Pierce said.
As scheduled, the boys basketball final is scheduled for 11 am. at Columbus North High School, followed by the girls basketball final at 12:30 p.m., and the cheer competition at 4 p.m.
But if those games are postponed again due to the weather, they will be played beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Columbus East High School gymnasium. If the cheer competition is postponed, that event will be at 6:15 p.m. Thursday at the gym at Columbus North.
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Closings, delays” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
For an updated list of delays or closings on Saturdays, check postings at therepublic.com.
[sc:pullout-text-end]
