Ice Encases Tri-State; Downed Branches And Power Lines A Problem

Thousands of local homes and businesses are without power due to an ice storm Thursday.

An American flag in downtown Lawrenceburg is frozen solid Thursday morning, November 15, 2018. Photo by Mike Perleberg, Eagle Country 99.3.

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) – Eagle Country’s first bout with winter weather this season is an icy one.

Freezing rain which fell early Thursday morning has frozen to tree branches, power lines, and just about anything outside. The National Weather Service says the ice accumulation is up to a third of an inch.

An Ice Storm Warning is in effect until noon Thursday for the entire tri-state.

Freezing Rain continues to impact the area. Ice accumulation up to three tenths of an inch expected . This will result in hazardous travel this morning prior to temperatures warming above freezing. pic.twitter.com/mQSyX6H9p9

— NWS Wilmington OH (@NWSILN) November 15, 2018

The ice should eventually melt off as we reach a high of 37 later on. Rain is expected to fall most of the day.

The weight of the ice is responsible for causing a number of trees and tree limbs to fall across roads and power lines. It’s creating a lot of problems, including numerous roads blocked partially or entirely.

State Road 1 at North Dearborn Road is shut down by a power line across the road.

State Road 48 in Manchester was the site of a downed branch affecting traffic, while a downed utility line is affecting S.R. 48 at Crossbow Trail Lane in Lawrenceburg.

Several trees have fallen in Greendale. Aurora Utilities say downed lines are blocking sections of Conwell Street and Judiciary Street.

Erlanger Police have warned of many roads being closed.

Some branches which have not fallen are weighed down into the paths of vehicles which would normally pass just beneath them.

The roads are not exceptionally slick, with the exception of some untreated bridges and overpasses.

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The number of power outages in the tri-state is growing. As of 6:30 a.m. Southeastern Indiana REMC says more than 11,700 of its customers are without service right now, with those outages spread throughout REMC’s seven county service area.

Duke Energy is reporting around 6,000 outages in Harrison, Miamitown, and Cleves. There are about 4,000 more Duke customers in the dark in southeastern Indiana. About 2,600 more at least are without service in Boone County.

Neither utility has given an estimate on when electric may be restored.

“Our crews are working to restore service,” SEI REMC said in a message to customers.