Highway travel wasn't the only mode of transportation to prove challenging. Airline travel throughout the Midwest remains disrupted because of the massive snow storm. Chicago's O'Hare and Midway was virtually shut down Wednesday, according to Flightstats.com. Many flights in and out of Detroit Metro were cancelled, although there was a marked improvement later in the day. Toledo Express Delta and American Eagle flights were also cancelled.
Countless schools were closed, including the University of Toledo campus. Large and small businesses shut down. Some of the major manufacturing facilities re-opened with second shift Wednesday, including GM Toledo Transmission, Chrysler's Wrangler and Toledo Machining plant, and First Solar.
One of the few counties in Northwest Ohio not to have a snow emergency declared was Wyandot. The Wyandot County Sheriff's office tells 13abc that they didn't need to declare an emergency because all roads remained open.
Wednesday morning, a Level 3 snow emergency was in effect in Sandusky County. Sheriff Kyle Overmeyer said many roads were drifted over, and main highways were snow covered and icy. Overmeyer said about a dozen people were stuck overnight, including some law enforcement officers, but everyone was rescued safely. A similar situation stranded some overnight in Lenawee County, Michigan.
A Level 3 snow emergency in Lucas County was downgraded to Level 2 Wednesday afternoon. Michigan does not use the "snow emergency level" method, but many communities appeared hard hit by the storm. Winter storm and blizzard warnings posted for the area overnight by the National Weather Service were changed to winter weather advisories Wednesday afternoon.
The storm brought travel to a crawl and forced schools and businesses to close on Wednesday. Blizzard warnings were posted for parts of Northwest Ohio including Defiance, Fulton, Henry and Williams Counties and Lenawee, Monroe and Hillsdale Counties of Southeast Michigan. Other counties in our viewing area were under a winter storm warning through Wednesday evening.
Road crews struggled early Wednesday morning to keep up with the combination of snow, sleet and freezing rain and keep highways clear. Many motorists decided not to take the risk and traffic was light on many area roadways, based on 13abc ActionCam video. High winds and frigid temperatures also made plowing and salting difficult.
The City of Toledo said it was prepared for the storm and had up to 100 plows ready with drivers placed on 12-hour shifts. Toledo's mayor's office said 27,000 tons of salt was available to help battle the elements. The City of Toledo Streets Commissioner Ed Moore said that it will take up to 24 hours before most roads are clear. Mr. Moore said, "we have our work cut out for us. It will be a challenge."
Road conditions were extremely poor early Wednesday. Highway 2 in Ottawa County was down to one lane.
More than 2,000 customers were without power early in the morning, but Toledo Edison restored most power before dawn today.
Toledo wasn't alone in dealing with poor weather conditions. Chicago was reeling after nearly two feet of snow. Video from Chicago showed cars buried under snow and stuck in the middle of highways. Many other locations in Ohio were also hit with shelters opened for residents in Columbus and the Canton areas.
