WARREN, Ohio – Mahoning Valley residents and businesses are digging out Monday from Winter Storm Fern, which dumped more than a foot of snow in some places and caused stores, schools, churches and government offices to close.
It caused difficult travel too, prompting the Western Reserve Transit Authority to close Monday.
“Due to inclement weather and hazardous driving conditions, WRTA will be closed tomorrow, Monday, January 26, and no services will operate,” a Sunday announcement said. “We anticipate resuming service on Tuesday, January 27, pending weather and road conditions.”
Many churches throughout the Mahoning and Shenango valleys canceled Sunday services or moved them online. Schools throughout the region began announcing Monday closures Sunday afternoon. Giant Eagle closed its stores at 4 p.m. Sunday because of the snow, with plans to reopen Monday morning.
All branches of the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County and all Warren Trumbull County Public Library branches also are closed.
And all Mahoning County government offices and courts are closed Monday due to the weather. The Mahoning Valley Historical Society is also closed.
Both the Eastwood and Southern Park malls closed Sunday because of the snow.
“Eastwood Mall is open for business today from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.,” a Monday morning email from an Eastwood Mall spokesman said. “Our snow removal crews did an amazing job and the parking lots are in great shape.”
A Sunday news release from the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission urged motorists to practice vigilance during the Monday morning commute.
“According to the National Weather Service, the winter storm’s Arctic blast is expected to last beyond the weekend and continue with sub-zero wind chills and freezing temperatures forecasted to last until Thursday, Jan. 29,” the turnpike news release said.
In Youngstown, a Saturday Facebook post from the city announced that snow plows would begin routes as the snow hit and that a fleet of contractors was on standby to help clear side streets.
People can track live plow locations HERE.
Garbage collection in the city will be delayed one day because of the storm.
Gov. Mike DeWine issued a proclamation ahead of the snow declaring a state of emergency.
“The proclamation documents Governor DeWine’s directive on Friday that state agencies, including the Ohio Emergency Management Agency, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and Ohio Department of Transportation, provide additional resources and support to local communities as needed,” according to a news release from DeWine’s office.
The storm pummeled a large swath of the country. The Weather Channel reported at least nine people died as a result and 800,000 people were without power Monday morning, primarily in southern states.