TOLEDO, Ohio — Northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan are in the crosshairs of the season's biggest expected snowstorm, with snowfall totals reaching up to a foot in some spots by Tuesday.
Ahead of the storm, which First Alert Meteorologist Robert Shiels describes as near-blizzard conditions, several organizations and events are canceling or postponing activities, as travel will be nearly impossible in spots.
Check back on this live blog often for the latest developments as WTOL 11 reporters in the field and your trusted First Alert weather team bring you updates.
We want to see YOUR updates, too! Text your photos to 419-248-1100 to let us know how you're faring in the snow. Your snow stories may be featured on air or online.
4 p.m.: Republic refuse service resumes Wednesday
Collections by Republic will resume on Wednesday and continue through Saturday. For the remainder of the week, collections will be on a one-day delayed schedule.
Republic is reminding residents to ensure that carts and cans are placed curbside in a location where they do not interfere with snow removal operations. All materials intended for collection must be placed out prior to 7 a.m. and must be free of snow and ice.
For customers with commercial front load dumpsters and industrial roll-off containers, Republic is asking that these containers are free and clear of snow and can easily be accessed.
3:50 p.m.: TARTA service updates
- Now that Lucas County is downgraded to a Level 2 snow emergency, TARTA’s fixed-route bus schedule will operate on its normal weekday service for the remainder of Tuesday with the last line-up at the Downtown Transit Hub at 7:30pm tonight.
- TARTA fixed route bus service will end at 6 p.m. This will be the final line-up at the Downtown Transit Hub.
- Wednesday, TARTA will offer the option of same-day Call-a-Ride reservations until 1:30 p.m. due to no Call-a-Ride service and reservations being available today. Call-a-Ride is a curb-to-curb service offered from 9:30 a.m. -3:30 p.m. in Ottawa Hills, Sylvania, Sylvania Township, Maumee and Rossford.
- Wednesday, TARTA and TARPS services will operate on their normal weekday schedules.
3:15 p.m.: AAA rescue calls
Updated Emergency Rescue Team calls: Since midnight, AAA’s Roadside Rescue Team has received more than 245 calls for help from stranded northwest Ohio area drivers.
3:15 p.m.: Rossford trash service
Mayor Neil MacKinnon III says Waste Management told him "as of right now the plan is to proceed with normal garbage collection tomorrow."
Noon: TARTA service updates
TARTA's Rider Information Line is closed due to the Level 3 Snow Emergency.
The Information and Reservation Line will remain open. Please expect delays as wait times are longer than normal. This number is 419-382-9901.
Call-A-Ride service has been canceled for the remainder of the day. Call-A-Ride reservations will not be available for the remainder of the day Tuesday.
TARTA’s fixed route bus service now has access to Royer Rd at Franklin Park Mall and Southwyck Blvd.
11:05 a.m.: AAA driver rescues
Since midnight, AAA’s Roadside Rescue Team has received more than 175 calls for help from stranded Northwest Ohio area drivers. AAA said it is seeing increases in calls for extrications as drivers contend with snowy roads.
As temperatures begin to plummet to single digits, AAA reminds drivers that breakdowns occurring during extreme temperatures can be dangerous, especially for the elderly and very young. For those who must go out, preparation is key to a safe trip.
10:40 a.m.: Franklin Park Mall, Fallen Timbers closed
Franklin Park Mall will be closed Tuesday. Franklin Park Mall is scheduled to reopen at 11 a.m. on for regular operating hours. Restaurant, theater and some store hours may vary. Customers are encouraged to contact the business in question directly for operating status.
Fallen Timbers in Maumee is also closed due to Lucas County's Level 3 snow emergency.
10:30 a.m.: Metroparks Toledo
Keep in mind that a Level 3 in Lucas County means that Metroparks Toledo's 19 parks are closed.
8:30 a.m.: Perrysburg updates
There will be a one-day delay for Refuse and Recycling pick-up for the remainder of the week.
Additionally, the City of Perrysburg Municipal Court will be CLOSED today, due to inclement weather and the Level 3 snow emergency.
8 a.m.: Officially more than a FOOT of snow for Toledo
First Alert Meteorologist Chris Vickers says we're officially over one FOOT of snow in Toledo. The wind has piled snowdrifts to 4 FEET in rural areas.
This snow was far more than the famous blizzard of '78, but the winds were nowhere near what was experienced then. It's still a rare and significant snow storm.
Records indicate this was the 4th largest 2-day snowstorm in Toledo's history!
7:50 a.m. Toledo City Council meeting canceled
Toledo City Council Meeting has been canceled and will be rescheduled for Wednesday at 2 p.m.
7:40 a.m.: Some TARTA services canceled/suspended
- Route #3 - Service suspended until further notice/will be evaluated every hour.
- Call-a-Ride - Service suspended until further notice/service area for Sylvania and Maumee will be reevaluated at 11 a.m.
- School routes - In conjunction with school closures, all school routes are canceled.
- Route #26 - Cannot service Brook Park.
- Route #15 - Cannot service the Mayo loop/ Mayo St.
Also, TARTA's Information Line is temporarily closed but the website remains active: http://www.tarta.com/
7:30 a.m.: What is 'shaved Parmesan' snow, Ryan?
7:30 a.m. - Ottawa Hills (and lots of other schools) closed today
Check the status of your school district, and businesses and events, here:
6:20 a.m. - TARPS and TARTA service updates
TARTA will operate its services per its snow emergency plan described here.
TARTA’s Information Line and TARPS Customer Service Line will open later Tuesday morning.
When TARTA regular services resume Tuesday, there will be a Cherry Street Line-Up. No service on Huron Street for the safety of riders.
5:50 a.m. Toledo Lucas-County Health Department closed due to inclement weather
The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department is closed Tuesday due to a Level 3 Snow Emergency. The health department will reopen Wednesday as weather permits. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911.
How WTOL viewers - and their pets - are enjoying the Feb. 15 snowfall
5:00 a.m. - Williams County vaccine clinic canceled Tuesday; health dept. will reschedule appointments
The COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Williams County will be closed Tuesday due to the snowstorm.
The health department will contact people who have scheduled appointments to set another date and time.
4:30 a.m. - Wood County Committee on Aging won't home deliver meals Tuesday
The Wood County Committee on Aging will not deliver home-delivered meals on Tuesday due to the Level 3 Snow Emergency which is in effect in Wood County.
This decision is made for the safety of our seniors, the volunteers who deliver meals throughout Wood County, and our drivers. A total of 35 routes are delivered Monday through Friday serving over 800 homebound seniors daily.
All home-delivered meals clients were provided two shelf-stable meals in October 2020 for their use should the agency be unable to deliver for a day.
All Wood County Seniors Centers will be closed on Tuesday as well.
2:42 a.m. - Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank reschedules distribution event
The Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank food box distribution event scheduled for Feb. 16 has been rescheduled to Feb. 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the James C. Caldwell Community Center.
2:16 a.m. - Lucas County under Level 3 snow emergency
Lucas County Sheriff Mike Navarre has declared a Level 3 snow emergency in Lucas County.
LEVEL 3: All roadways are closed to non-emergency personnel. No one should be driving during these conditions unless it is absolutely necessary to travel or a personal emergency exists. All employees should contact their employer to see if they should report to work. Those traveling on the roads may subject themselves to arrest.
TUESDAY
11:10 p.m. - Visibility takes a dive; near blizzard conditions
Near McLaren St. Luke's Hospital, visibility is below a quarter of a mile.
11 p.m. - Crafty way of clearing snow
Need to clear snow from a parking lot? Here's one way to do it with a four wheeler, a truck and a good old fashioned shovel.
WTOL 11 Reporter Tyler Paley confirms conditions are perfect for snow angels
10:41 p.m. - Fremont Municipal Court closed to the public Feb. 16
Fremont Municipal Court will be closed to the public tomorrow, Feb. 16, for the entire day due to inclement weather.
If you have a scheduled court date for tomorrow please contact your attorney or the clerk’s office at 419-332-1579 on Wednesday regarding the rescheduling of your court date. If you have a scheduled appointment with the probation department please call 419-552-5024 on Wednesday for further instruction.
10 p.m. - Over 200 closures and delays reported for schools, businesses and events
Check our Closings and Delays page and watch on air and on our free WTOL 11 News app for the latest updates.
9:37 p.m. - Toledo Public Schools closes for Tuesday
Superintendent Dr. Romules Durant has announced TPS will be closed on Tuesday due to weather conditions.
9:21 p.m. - Winds kicking up
Our First Alert Weather Team is tracking the wind now, as northeast gusts up to 26 miles per hour are logged at Toledo Express Airport.
9 p.m. - Big 11 Schools all mostly closed
The BIG 11 schools are closed at 9:02 p.m. except TPS. Bowling Green is remote.
Check on ALL the area schools here: /closings
8:40 p.m. - Toledo libraries closed
All locations of the Toledo-Lucas County Library will be closed Tuesday due to the weather.
7:30 p.m. - Ottawa Hills delay
Ottawa Hills joins the dozens of area schools that have already called a delay for Tuesday. Superintendent Adam Fineske notes in a tweet that he'll assess conditions in the morning and if things are worse or Lucas County goes to a Level 3, Ottawa Hills may close.
Check the status of all schools here: /closings
7:25 p.m. - Firefighters battle blaze in Henry County
All residents safely escaped a house fire in southwest Henry County on Monday night on State Route 108, south of Holgate. It was reported this afternoon around 4:30 p.m. People are asked to stay off of SR 108 between Holgate and Miller City right now. Firefighters are having issues and keeping water supply at this time. Putnam County firefighters are assisting. The Red Cross is also assisting the residents.
7:20 p.m. - Free pizza for plow drivers
Pisanello's Pizza in Bowling Green is offering free pizzas to snowplow drivers Monday night. A Facebook post from the pizzeria says if plow drivers give them a call while they're out on their route and roll up in their plow, the free pizza is theirs. The phone number is 419-352-5166
"We're apparently about to get hit with snow! And, we've got too much dough! Tell you what, if you're a snow-plow driver and you give a call TONIGHT, you get a free pizza! Call us on your route, roll up in your plow, we've got you covered!"
7:10 p.m. - Snow is piling up
In just 30 minutes, the snow went from light and fluffy to heavy and blowing. Check out how much snow piled up on First Alert Meteorologist John Burchfield's GoPro lens between 6:30 and 7 p.m.!
6:50 p.m. - 1-car crash on turnpike in Erie County
A single-vehicle crash is reported in Erie County on the Ohio Turnpike. This accident is not blocking the turnpike and there are no injuries, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Contrary to some other accounts online, there is no 20-car pileup, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
6:40 p.m. - Tiffin University goes remote
All Tiffin University campus classes and offices will move to a remote schedule Tuesday and the physical campus will be closed.
5:45 p.m. - Republic rubbish services suspended
Republic Services is suspending collections for Tuesday in the Toledo service area, which includes Lucas County and the northern half of Wood County. In Michigan, the service area covers the southern portion of Monroe County and the eastern half of Lenawee County.
Collections are expected to resume on Wednesday. Collections for the remainder of the week will be on a one-day delayed schedule.
5:20 p.m. - Snow and wind picking up
The snow and the wind are both starting to pick up, according to First Alert Meteorologist John Burchfield, who's probably trying to get a last run or walk in before the storm hits:
5:12 p.m. - Toledo library locations
All Toledo Lucas County Public Library locations will close Monday at 6:30 p.m. due to weather conditions.
4:50 p.m. - Schools making plans for Tuesday morning
There will be no transportation for Bowling Green City Schools on Tuesday -
students and teachers will meet remotely.
Stay up to date with all the delays and cancellation decisions made by local superintendents here: /closings
Or text the word CLOSINGS to 419-248-1100.
4:45 p.m. - ProMedica physicians offices and classes - Know before you go
All ProMedica hospitals are OPEN. ProMedica Physicians offices in Ohio and Michigan - CALL AHEAD TO CONFIRM APPOINTMENT
The following ProMedica facilities are closed and events are canceled Feb. 16 due to the weather:
- ProMedica Physicians offices in Ohio and Michigan – **CALL AHEAD TO CONFIRM APPOINTMENT**
- All other ProMedica outpatient services and programs – **CALL AHEAD TO CONFIRM APPOINTMENT**
- PTN Paramedic Renewal Class – Middleton Twp – CANCELED
- ProMedica Physicians Cardiology – Drs. Karamali & Cassavar -- Perrysburg and Defiance, OH – CLOSED
- ProMedica Physicians Ear, Nose, and Throat, Dr. Mucha – Adrian and Tecumseh, MI – CLOSED
- ProMedica Physicians Family Medicine – Adrian -- CLOSED
- ProMedica Physicians Family Medicine Newport - Dr. Chartier – CLOSED
- ProMedica Physicians Monroe Family Medicine – Dr. Tilson & Dr. Istephan – CLOSED
- ProMedica Physicians Monroe Gastro – Monroe, MI – CLOSED
4:40 p.m. - Calm before the storm
WTOL 11's Tyler Paley's hands-free camera sees clear-ish roadways on the highway, but he notes "all bets are off" in just a few hours.
4:30 p.m.
Toledo police are ready for their #snowpatrol duty! They're outfitted from head to toe in cold weather tactical gear, including "sweet polarized goggles."
Chief George Kral also weighed in on Twitter, saying, "
3:15 p.m.
Owens Community College is closing campus Monday at 5 p.m. and will re-open on Wednesday. This is for both the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses. This includes all face-to-face and synchronous web courses. Students should check their syllabi, as there are certain programs, such as the nursing clinical, that will continue to meet.
We'll be sharing major closures to this blog as they come in. For all other closures and delays, check this link periodically: /closings
If you are an administrator with a code to our delays/closings website, that portal is here: /closings-admin
2 p.m. - COVID-19 vaccine clinics postponed
Several COVID-19 vaccine clinics in the area have pushed back their planned Tuesday clinics, anticipating that driving will be a problem. Clinics at UTMC, the Lucas County Rec Center, McLaren St. Luke's, Mercy-Health Perrysburg Hospital and Wood County Health Department have been rescheduled at this time.
This link will update with more vaccine clinic closings/delays information so check it periodically: /article/news/health/coronavirus/vaccine/northwest-ohio-vaccine-clinics-rescheduled-due-to-winter-storm-and-snow/512-b408a466-ffc7-4ddd-82a1-88f716677aac
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