Indiana officials on standby as winter weather approaches

CLARKSVILLE, Ind. (WAVE) - An ice storm warning remains in effect across all of South Central Indiana. Different counties are experiencing different levels of risks.

It’s prepare for the worst, hope for the best in Southern Indiana as the area prepares for a wintry mix coming in on Thursday.

Unlike a usual snowstorm, where crews can pre-treat the roads, INDOT faces the challenge of being on standby. Crews have to wait for the rain to stop before treatment can begin.

“We are watching that transition timing closely,” INDOT public relations director Natalie Garrett said. “We are working to pinpoint that so we have crews out once that transition occurs.”

As the ice forms and those slick spots start to build up, everyone is encouraged to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.

Indiana State Police also has a warning for Hoosiers who may try to help out their neighbors stranded on the roadways.

“If you stop to help somebody, remember too, you also have got to protect yourself,” ISP Superintendent Douglas Carter said. “Don’t just stop your car where you see a problem. Remember that there is going to be people coming up behind you just like you were. And you’ve got to also protect yourself. So please start thinking about what that might look like.”

Police caution if you get stranded, do not get out of your vehicle. Call for help first. Especially if you can’t see in front of you.

Roads aren’t the only issue many will face. Power outages are also expected in southern Indiana.

Duke Energy Community Relations Manager Lisa Brones Huber said while dealing with outages can be difficult, customers should have patience and safely report what they see.

“We know it is frustrating to be in an outage,” Brones Huber said. “But if you know what the cause is, and try to get a restoration time it certainly makes that wait a little bit better.”

Duke Energy said although they can’t predict where exactly those outages will occur, customers can visit their website to view the outage map indicator and to sign up for text alerts to be alerted and updated on any outages.

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