SNOW END TO IT

REGION WRESTLES WITH ANOTHER 3 TO 8 INCHES AHEAD OF THE NEXT SUBZERO COLD SNAP

A few degrees do make a difference with regard to the roads and snow, as cleanup crews dealt with sloppy piles of wet heaviness a new snowstorm dumped on Northwest Indiana on Saturday.

The Indiana State Police kept with its message of keeping off the roads to motorists, issuing photos of a limousine traveling 50 mph that lost control and hit a barrier wall. The conditions, thought slightly different, still produced the same results as the subzero temps earlier in the week.

“Motorists need to make choices that could affect them in their travels today: Do I need to make this trip? Have I given myself plenty of time to get to my destination? Have I reduced my speed for conditions (Posted 55 mph does not mean you go 55!!)? Do I have a full tank of gas? Have I charged my cell phone, have a blanket, food and water with me? Most of all, is it worth it?” the ISP issued in a release.

The heaviest snowfall hit the south suburbs and areas in Northwest Indiana, the weather service said. Snow totals ranged from 3 to 8 inches, with the higher amounts north of Interstate 80. High temperatures on Saturday were in the low 30s.

“We’re in a period where Chicago is seeing some moderate to heavy snowfall during this burst,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Matt Friedlein. “This particular snow is heavy, and is a bit different than what we experienced during the first week of January.”

Warmer temperatures were a result of air pushed up from the Gulf of Mexico, Friedlein said.

The snowfall began to taper off by Saturday evening as the storm traveled southeast. Temperatures were falling, too. Meteorologists were calling for mostly sunny skies Sunday, with a high near 16 but with wind chill values as low as zero. The forecast for Sunday night called for a low near zero.

Alan Stock and Rick Burchett, who own Frankie’s Auto Sales in Dyer, treated their staff to a catered lunch for braving the nastiness.

“They always take good care of us here,” said receptionist Tracy Mendez-Williams.

A new round of snow was expected Tuesday afternoon and evening, with temperatures dropping to subzero levels again by Wednesday night.

| JOHN BOOZ/FOR THE POST-TRIBUNE Residents along U.S. 30 in Schererville had to plow their way out of their homes on Saturday.

| JOHN BOOZ/FOR THE POST-TRIBUNE Folks throughout Northwest Indiana battled the snowstorm on Saturday. Dyer and Schererville dug themselves out from almost half a foot of snow.