Travel is being discouraged this afternoon and evening as a band of heavy snow moves through our area.

At 3:30 p.m., National Weather Service Doppler Radar indicated bands of very heavy snow with visibilities of a quarter mile or less, moving along a line extending from 10 miles northwest of Dowagiac to 11 miles south of Swayzee. The system is moving east about 35 mph dropping snow at rates of up to 2 inches per hour.

Locations in the path of this band of very heavy snow include Nappanee, Syracuse, Warsaw, Elkhart, Wabash and North Manchester.

Conditions are deteriorating rapidly and strong winds are already causing areas of blowing and drifting and poor visibility. Some sleet and freezing rain is also expected south of SR 24.

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 11 p.m.

A full callout of INDOT drivers reported after noon today and will work until midnight, when a replacement shift is scheduled. INDOT continues to monitor developing forecasts, as well as its statewide network of road and bridge pavement sensors, to deploy the needed personnel, equipment and materials ahead of any predicted precipitation.

INDOT’s top winter priority is to plow and treat its more than 30,000 lane miles of interstates, U.S. highways and state routes. Each plow route takes approximately 3 hours to complete with salt assisting in melting between passes.

INDOT encourages motorists to know road conditions before traveling by dialing 800-261-ROAD or call 5-1-1 from your cell phone for updated road conditions and closures. Do NOT call your local dispatch center as dispatchers are there to provide emergency assistance.

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