From WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY and OHIO TURNPIKE AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMISSION
Wood County will be under a “high wind watch” for Friday, March 13.
A rain/snow mix is possible between 3 and 10 a.m. with showers lingering through 2 p.m. Rainfall amounts less than 0.05 inches and snow accumulation are expected. Winds will be west-southwesterly at 20-35 mph with gusts as high as 50-55 mph with the strongest winds between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Considerations:
- High profile vehicles will be vulnerable to overturning.
- Power outages are possible.
- Secure outdoor items.
- A “low water advisory” has been issued for the western basin of Lake Erie with water levels 1 – 2 feet below low water datum.
Looking ahead, another potent storm system will move east through the Great Lakes Sunday night, March 15, into Monday, March 16. While winds aren’t expected to be as strong as Friday’s system, probabilities remain around 50% for advisory-level wind gusts.
The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission has also issued a “high-wind travel restriction” across the entire 241-mile toll road for some high-profile vehicles, which may be more affected by high wind speeds, from 12:01 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. on Friday.
When a high-wind travel restriction is placed into effect, the Ohio Turnpike remains open for all passenger vehicles and most commercial vehicles.
The following types of vehicles are prohibited from traveling on the Ohio Turnpike during the travel restriction period:
- Commercial trucks towing an empty, single 53-foot box type
- Commercial trucks towing an empty, 53-foot tanker-type trailer
- All high-profile, greater than 7 feet 6 inches in height, tow-behind trailers, campers, boats, and enclosed trailers – this does not include trailers with fifth-wheel type trailers
- All mobile homes, office trailers, and livestock trailers
- Long-combination vehicles (LCV) with double-trailer combinations exceeding 90 feet in length – enclosed trailers only, including Conestoga type trailers
- All LCV triple-trailer combinations
- Two-axle buses longer than 40 feet
- Buses with three or more axles greater than 45 feet
The following types of vehicles are allowed to travel on the Ohio Turnpike during the restriction:
- Passenger cars and pickup trucks
- Commercial trucks towing a loaded, single 53-foot trailer
- Commercial trucks towing a loaded tanker trailer
- Self-propelled motor homes
- Low-profile trailers
- Fold-down camper trailers
- Pickup trucks with slide-on camper units
- Vehicles towing fifth-wheel type trailers or any other type of trailers towed by passenger vehicles or pickup trucks that are not listed in the restricted vehicles section above
- Commercial trucks towing a single flatbed
- Commercial trucks towing a car hauler trailer
- Commercial trucks towing flatbed double-trailer combinations
- Commercial trucks towing any double-trailer combinations less than 90 feet
- Two-axle buses less than 40 feet
- Buses with three or more axles less than 45 feet
The high wind travel restriction will be continually evaluated by the turnpike commission’s engineering and maintenance staff throughout the duration of the weather event.
