CINCINNATI — We are in the midst of a calm before a hefty winter storm is expected to hit this weekend, which could bring several inches of snow to the area. Here is how communities across the Tri-State are preparing for inclement weather.
City of Cincinnati
The City of Cincinnati has yet to speak on its plans for this weekend's snow response. City leaders announced they would hold a press conference on Friday to discuss the matter.
If you have any questions you would like us to ask city leaders about Cincinnati's snow response, reach out to Connor here:
The city has made many changes since Winter Storm Blair in January 2025 led to a chaotic snow response, marked by equipment breakdowns, vastly outdated technology and an overwhelmed workforce.
Since then, the city has launched a new snowplow tracker system, which provides real-time updates on road conditions to residents. The city also began using a new de-icing product, which is the same product used by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), to help treat roads.
Ohio Department of Transportation
ODOT plans to begin treating roads Saturday morning, according to spokesperson Kathleen Fuller.
"We're just like everyone else right now, we are expecting something to happen," Fuller said.
ODOT will deploy crews on major interstates and state routes in Hamilton County, including Interstate 71, Interstate 75 and portions of state routes 126 and 264 outside incorporation limits.
The department said they have 143 plow trucks across the ODOT district, with more than 30 dedicated to Hamilton County.
Hamilton County
Officials with the Hamilton County Engineer's Office are warning that road-clearing operations may extend well into next week.
"I think that's going to be (true) across the state, at minimum, across Southwest Ohio," Matt Marshall, maintenance operations program manager for the Hamilton County Engineer's Office, said. "I would just ask for some patience and awareness of what it's going to take to get these roads clear."
Marshall said the county will deploy roughly 60 trucks and 60 drivers to handle the storm. The drivers will work in 16-hour shifts at a time.
WATCH: Here is a breakdown of snowstorm preps underway in the Tri-State
"We don't have the luxury of having two different shifts that we have. We have one set of crew that's out all the time," Marshall said.
The county covers a massive area, he said, from the Indiana-Ohio state line in Harrison to the Clermont County line in Anderson Township.
"It's a big coverage area, a lot to get to with a limited amount of drivers," Marshall said. "My number one interest is not only public safety, but the safety of our team here ... once they've been out overnight, and then into Sunday, we're going to have to really start looking at what that work-to-rest ratio looks like."
The county's fleet is currently at 100% capacity after mechanical issues arose during the last snowfall, Marshall said.
"I ask if you don't have to be out, please don't be out, and just be aware of them and give them their space," Marshall said.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
Officials with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) said, for the Northern Kentucky region, KYTC has more than 130 snowplows ready, with crews preparing to work in 12-hour shifts, if necessary.
Right now, crews across the commonwealth are working to pre-treat roadways, according to the office of Governor Andy Beshear.
"Kentucky, we are facing some severe winter weather this weekend, and we are doing everything possible to prepare ahead and have options in place to keep Kentuckians safe,” Gov. Beshear wrote in a statement. “We are asking everyone to take this winter weather event seriously by having weather alerts turned on and phones charged and by avoiding travel if possible. Let’s do whatever we can to keep our people safe this weekend.”
KTYC Crews are also actively taking inventory of resources like heavy equipment, in case needs arise throughout the storm.
Kenton County
Kenton County Public Works crews ramped up prep-work on Thursday, supervisor Adam Ryan said, as they get equipment ready and pre-treat roads with brine ahead of the storm.
"We've been watching all the weather reports, and of course, they're changing, and now we got a plan to be here early Saturday morning," Ryan said.
The county will deploy about 15 plows as the snow falls, pulling trucks from various departments to ensure adequate coverage. Ryan said plows will cover about 25 miles of state roads, Lakeside, Crestview and Ryland Heights.
To maintain continuous operations, the county is implementing 12-hour shifts with crews rotating to keep fresh personnel on the roads throughout the storm, Ryan said.
Given that the anticipated snowfall will come with below-freezing temperatures, Ryan said roads may not be fully clear until, at the earliest, late into the weekend.
"By the time it hits, we should be able to ahead of it then," Ryan said. "But if it's coming out as heavy as they're saying, as cold as it's going to be, it'll probably be Sunday afternoon before everything's good enough to drive on, if the temperatures allow us."
Campbell County
Campbell County officials are preparing to declare a countywide snow emergency as soon as Friday morning in order to clear county streets for road treatment.
"We want to get the word out early," Justin Otto, assistant county administrator and public information officer for Campbell County, said. "We need folks to not park on the side of the streets, that way a plow can get through ... because our team has been working the entire week pre-treating roads."
The parking restrictions will only apply to unincorporated communities in Campbell County. Residents living in municipalities should check with their individual cities for specific emergency rules.
Throughout the week, Otto said, crews have been out on Campbell County roads pre-treating streets with more than 10,000 gallons of brine.
"Both our emergency management team and our road department do a great job of training for situations like this, so they've got specific road maps that they have and shifts, so they can go nonstop," he said. "The key with that is they want to make sure we're keeping our community safe and also keeping their guys safe."
Otto recommended that people living in the county download the Smart911 app, the county's emergency notification system. The app sends text alerts for all types of emergencies, including severe weather warnings.
"It's not only for snow emergencies, it's for every emergency in Campbell County," Otto said. "It could save your life. It could save your family's life."
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