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Snow emergencies: What are they and when we can expect more?

Another big system could dump even more snow on the region
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CINCINNATI — A surprising amount of snow fell across the region Sunday prompting several counties to issue snow emergencies. As of Monday morning, only two remain, including Butler County and Hamilton County. The Tri-State got between 3 and 6 inches of snow, and more is on the way later this week.

We're tracking a winter storm that will impact the Cincinnati region overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.

We'll continue to narrow down the snowfall forecast in the days ahead, but heavy snowfall is expected with rapid accumulations of up to 6 inches. This is expected to make travel throughout the day Wednesday a nightmare. You should start planning ahead now for the possibility of school closures. Click here to keep track of the traffic conditions across the Tri-State.

This area of low-pressure lifts through the Ohio Valley on Wednesday during the daylight hours. We'll even get periods of rain during the day as road crews are out clearing this latest round of snow. We'll see a high of 41 on Wednesday. Then Wednesday night, colder air will wrap behind this system, again bringing a light snow chance. The amount that accumulates will be light and minor, but additional slick spots can be expected.

This storm will likely bring back many of the snow emergencies like we saw this weekend.

You can read a more complete breakdown of the timing of the snow event this week here.

What is a snow emergency?

The emergencies are a warning system to alert drivers and residents that bad weather could make it unsafe to travel.

A level one, or yellow travel advisory as it is called in Indiana, usually means parked cars must be moved off of public streets to allow plows to clear and treat the roads. Many cities will ticket or tow parked cars that aren't moved from public roads. In Indiana, a yellow travel advisory also means individuals should use caution or only travel when needed.

A level two, or an orange travel advisory in Indiana, means people should stay home if they can and drive only if absolutely necessary.

Level three, or a red travel advisory in Indiana, means all roads in that area are closed to non-emergency personnel. Drivers out for non-emergency reasons could be arrested or cited.

Cities typically issue snow emergencies themselves in addition to counties, based on the specific needs of the neighborhoods in those areas.

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