Winter storm Fern dropped around a foot of snow on Columbus
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Exactly a foot of snow at her Hilliard-area home. Photos: Alissa Widman Neese/Axios
Much of Central Ohio is still digging itself out of a historic foot or so of snow that winter storm Fern dumped over the weekend.
Why it matters: Everyday life has screeched to a halt, with schools, governments and businesses shutting down, flights canceled, and many roadways still needing plowing.
- The snow isn't going anywhere, either, with dangerously bitter cold sweeping in and sticking around for at least the rest of this week.
Stunning stat: The Franklin County Sheriff's Office declared a level 3 snow emergency Sunday. It's the first time that's ever happened since the system's creation after the Great Blizzard of 1978.
The latest: That level 3 is still in effect as of Monday morning, meaning only essential workers should be on the roads. (That doesn't automatically mean you'll be ticketed, though.)
- A winter storm warning expires at noon Monday, but a cold weather advisory will remain in effect until an extreme cold warning takes effect at 6pm.
- A state of emergency is still in effect across Ohio.
By the numbers: The official snowfall total Sunday was 11.9 inches at John Glenn International Airport, per the National Weather Service.
- That shattered the Jan. 25 daily record of 4.7 inches set in 1988.
- It also tied with the snowiest January day in Columbus history: Jan. 6, 1910.
Yes, but: It's not an all-time record — that's still March 8, 2008, when Columbus received 15.5 inches of snow.
Zoom in: Other local storm-related disruptions include a rare cancellation of in-person classes at OSU and OhioHealth postponing some elective surgeries.
The big picture: Comparatively, Central Ohio got lucky. The storm brought dangerous freezing rain to states south of here, leaving nearly a million people without power during a Sunday afternoon peak.
- Over a dozen people were estimated dead as of that night, from causes including hypothermia and car and sled crashes, USA Today reports.
- In Dayton, a worker died after being struck by a snowplow.
Stay safe: If you or someone you know needs immediate shelter, the Community Shelter Board has expanded its warming center capacity. A hotline at 614-274-7000 can connect them to help.
- The Franklin County Dog Shelter is offering free, temporary emergency boarding.
- COTA continues to operate buses and is waiving fares through at least Tuesday.