Snow, sleet and gusty winds have been making travel challenging. Plows and shovelers have not been able to keep pace with the wintry mix, while it has also limited visibility. As of 5:00 P.M., the City of Milwaukee will have dispatched 228 plows. When sanitation crews finish collecting trash on Monday, the city mounts blades onto the trucks so they can be put into service plowing streets. Salting operations have also been underway. The city is postponing garbage and recycling collections on Tuesday.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Dept. has helped move dozens of accidents and disabled vehicles out of the way of traffic on local freeways and ramps, including one mishap in which a person was injured. County officials in Waukesha and Racine have also reported accidents blocking freeway lanes, including on I-94.
WE Energies dispatched crews to restore service to well over one thousand customers who lost power at some point during the day, many in the greater Milwaukee area.
Much of the state is under a winter storm warning through Tuesday. Snowfall totals could range from a foot in the northwest to eight inches in south central Wisconsin to only two inches along Lake Michigan. Strong winds are expected to continue and at times reach speeds of 50 mph.
According to the Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation, travel for the remainder of the day is discouraged. In some open areas, white-out conditions have been developing, and some roads are not cleared of snow and ice, even though equipment has been at the task much of the day. Among the DOT's travel tips for drivers who must venture out: clear all snow and ice from windows and lights, use your brakes carefully and early and be aware that bridge decks can be slippery, even when the rest of the pavement is in good condition.
Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele declared a snow emergency beginning at 2:30 Monday afternoon, meaning all non-essential county departments closed for the day. Abele, who says he made the decision with the safety of workers and the public in mind, has scheduled the offices to re-open on Tuesday.
A few school sporting events, including basketball games have been postponed, due to hazardous driving conditions.
