South Bend, IN – The National Weather Service is warning drivers across northern Indiana, southwest Michigan, and northwest Ohio of hazardous road conditions tonight and early Wednesday, as gusty winds and freezing temperatures create dangerous travel conditions.
According to the National Weather Service offices in Northern Indiana and Chicago, strong southwest to west winds may cause blowing and drifting snow, especially across open, west-to-east oriented roads. The combination of wind and recent snowfall is expected to produce patchy ice and reduced visibility through early Wednesday morning.
Forecasters caution that temperatures will drop to around or just below freezing, leading to refreezing of melted snow and the formation of black ice, particularly on bridges, overpasses, and untreated roads. Even wet-looking pavement may be icy, meteorologists warned.
Affected areas include Fort Wayne, South Bend, Elkhart, La Porte, Valparaiso, Kankakee, and nearby communities, extending into southwest Michigan and northwest Ohio.
Motorists are urged to slow down, maintain extra distance, and treat all wet roads as potentially slick. Travel is expected to gradually improve after sunrise Wednesday as winds ease and temperatures rise slightly.
