Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Friday, February 22, 2013
(UNDATED) - A nasty mix of sleet and freezing rain peppered much of Indiana late Thursday night and early Friday morning, creating an icy sheen on the ground and on area roads.
A winter weather advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. today.
About a half-inch of sleet and freezing rain fell in the area before 4 a.m. Temperatures were still below freezing, but were expected to creep above freezing by mid-morning.
Hundreds of schools are closed or on two-hour delays throughout the state.
Indiana State Police reported one half to three quarters of an inch of snow had fallen on the ground in the Bloomington area.
There were reports of some slide-offs and minor crashes in the area on Thursday night, at the height of the precipitation, but there were no reports of serious crashes early Friday morning.
Police say many accidents were caused by drivers traveling too fast for the weather conditions.
The Indiana Department of Transportation, city and county road crews had been on the roads late Thursday and early Friday to try to clear the way for morning commuters.
The ice forced the cancellation of several flights out of Indianapolis International Airport Thursday night and Friday morning. Shortly before 11 p.m. Thursday, close to 60 flights were reported canceled.
A weakening storm system that buried parts of the Midwest under more than a foot of snow was responsible for the ice in Indiana.
Some lingering freezing drizzle is expected to stick around until temperatures climb above freezing, changing the precipitation to plain rain.
Temperatures are expected to warm into the 40s on Friday before cooling down a bit on Saturday.
After that, temperatures will warm again for Sunday and early next week, with rain chances moving in for Monday.
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