Snow Squalls Suddenly Degrade Visibility, Road Conditions

The Indiana Department of Transportation has 315 yellow salt trucks deployed as of this morning to patrol interstates, U.S. highways and state routes ahead of falling pavement temperatures and winter precipitation. A series of storms may drop up to 3 inches of snow across Indiana this week with additional lake-effect snow possible in the South Bend area.

INDOT maintenance supervisors will continue to monitor weather radar and forecasts, and adjust manpower, trucks and materials to address changes in forecasted and observed road conditions. Each plow route takes 2-3 hours to complete with salt assisting in melting between passes. Trained employees are on call to staff plow trucks around the clock with alternating shifts of 12 hours or more.

Snow squall warning

The National Weather Service office in Indianapolis says there is a potential for “snow squalls” this afternoon through Tuesday. Localized heavy snowfall combined with surface wind gusts up to 25 mph produce sudden reductions in road conditions and visibility with near whiteout conditions, which increase chances for multi-vehicle crashes.

Drivers who see a “wall” of snow ahead associated with a snow squall should immediately take the following steps to improve visibility and safety:

• Before you depart, fully clear off your front and rear windshields and side mirrors.
• Choose direct routes instead of longer trips on higher-speed roads and highways.
• Take your foot off the gas and turn off cruise control, especially on high-speed highways. No one should be traveling at interstate speeds during winter weather. Law enforcement will be writing citations for drivers going faster than conditions merit and putting others in harm’s way.
• Use your low-beam lamps if your vehicle is equipped.
• Increase following distance so you can barely see the taillights of any vehicles in front of you.
• Turn on emergency flashers if you are stopped or traveling slower than other vehicles.
• If you need to stop, try to exit or turn off the main highway. If you must stop on the shoulders, pull as far away from the travel lanes as possible.
• Regularly fill your gas tank and charge your mobile phone.
• Apply anti-lock brakes firmly. Pump brakes that are not anti-lock.
• Do not overcorrect with steering.

Low temperatures

Temperatures are expected to drop well below freezing by Tuesday night, requiring road salt to work harder to melt snow and ice. Granular salt helps to add traction while lowering the temperature at which the ice melts. INDOT may mix road salt with sand or specialty chemicals that help it work more effectively in these conditions.

Sub-freezing temperatures increase the chances of melt-water refreezing into “black ice” or “slick spots” that may be difficult for drivers to distinguish from dry pavement. Areas that receive less direct sunlight are common places for slick spots. Even four-wheel-drive vehicles and large trucks are no match if all tires are on ice.

Know before you go

There are several state resources that drivers can access to “know before you go”:

• Counties post travel advisories as new information is available to http://in.gov/dhs/traveladvisory or the Indiana Travel Advisory app for iPhone or Android.
• INDOT maintenance staff report color-coded winter driving conditions on INDOT’s TrafficWise map at http://indot.carsprogram.org. Road conditions are defined as: (1) Gray: Good, the road is clear (2) Blue: Fair, speed is reduced due to isolated patches of snow and ice, and (3) Violet: Difficult or hazardous, speed is reduced due to snow and/or ice covered pavement
• Dial INDOT’s hotline toll-free at 1-800-261-ROAD (7623) or 511 from a mobile phone.
• Find your regional INDOT district on Facebook and Twitter at http://in.gov/indot/3074.htm.

Last week, Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers met with high school seniors to kick off the state’s annual Cash for College campaign. The statewide effort aims to help Hoosiers of all ages pay for education beyond high school with a series of activities leading up to Indiana’s March 10 deadline for filing the FAFSA—Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

“Indiana has one of most generous need-based financial aid systems in the country, but every year thousands of Hoosiers miss out by failing to file the FAFSA by Indiana’s March 10 filing deadline,” said Lubbers. “With Cash for College, we’re sending a clear message to students that the resources and help are there, but students and families have to take the steps to receive them.”

The state is encouraging local schools and communities to host regional “FAFSA Friday” events throughout the month of February with financial aid experts who can provide step-by-step assistance on filing the FAFSA, opening College 529 Savings plans, and other ways to ensure financial readiness for college. The goal of FAFSA Fridays is to make sure every high school senior and current college student completes the FAFSA.

Indiana’s Cash for College activities build upon College Goal Sunday, the annual FAFSA-filing event that will take place on February 21 this year at 42 locations across Indiana. For a list of FAFSA events in your area, visit our website.

The Commission is dedicated to increasing the number of students who file the FAFSA correctly and on-time. Last year, Indiana schools achieved a 5 percent increase in the number of students completing the FAFSA before the March 10 deadline.

This year, the Commission is partnering with 115 Indiana school corporations to drive up the numbers of on-time FAFSA completion. The Commission will track FAFSA completion in these schools and send weekly reports ranking progress to encourage friendly competition around the state and help support efforts at Indiana high schools.

Learn More Indiana
The Learn More Indiana website at LearnMoreIndiana.org offers a variety of helpful tips and freeresources for K-12 students, current college students and returning adult students, including the Indiana College Costs Estimator. Available online or as a mobile app atIndianaCollegeCosts.org, the free tools offers side-by-side cost comparisons that show how much students should expect to pay out-of-pocket at each Indiana college once various sources of financial aid are applied, as well as details on local scholarship opportunities.

Student Contests and School Grants
The Commission for Higher Education sponsors contest and grant opportunities for each of its three annual Learn More Indiana campaigns throughout the year. One student in each grade across the state will be chosen from the entries to win $529 in an Indiana CollegeChoice 529 savings plan and schools can win $1,000 college-readiness grants by sharing their efforts to increase students’ financial preparation. See deadlines and application details atLearnMoreIndiana.org.