Dayton prepares for winter storm; Residents urged to limit travel
Based on current weather forecasts, Dayton is preparing for a high-impact winter storm expected to create hazardous driving conditions from Saturday through Tuesday ❄️
Dayton prepares for winter storm; Residents urged to limit travel
Based on current weather forecasts, Dayton is preparing for a high-impact winter storm expected to create hazardous driving conditions from Saturday through Tuesday, with snowfall totals of 8–12 inches and temperatures dropping into the single digits.
A full snow operations deployment will begin Saturday at 4 p.m., with timing subject to change as forecasts are updated. Forty-four primary snowplow drivers will operate on alternating shifts through Tuesday and as conditions require.
Due to the combination of heavy snowfall and extremely cold temperatures, road salt is expected to be largely ineffective. Crews will rely primarily on plowing to remove snow and keep roadways passable. Residents should expect snow-packed roads, with limited pavement visibility until sunshine returns, possibly not until Monday or Tuesday.
Snow removal efforts will focus first on Priority 1 and Priority 2 routes—major and moderate-capacity roadways—before crews move into residential streets. Residential plowing is not anticipated to begin until sometime Monday.
In the Central Business District, this will be an all-snow event. Due to the anticipated accumulation, snow will be pushed to the center of downtown streets and hauled out beginning Monday morning.
To allow plows to operate safely and effectively, residents are strongly encouraged to remove vehicles from streets whenever possible. Parked cars significantly limit plowing operations and may prevent crews from clearing streets curb-to-curb.
Residents are advised to stay home if possible, as hazardous conditions are expected through Monday and into Tuesday. Those who must travel are reminded not to crowd snowplows and to remain well behind them, where roads have already been cleared.
“This will be a challenging storm due to both the amount of snow and the extreme cold,” said Tom Ritchie, Director of Public Works. “Our crews will be working around the clock to keep priority routes open, but we are asking residents to be patient, stay off the roads when possible, and give our plow operators the space they need to do their jobs safely.”
For updates, residents are encouraged to monitor city communication channels and local weather reports.
