Afternoon Commuters Dodge Predicted Ice Storm; Storm Warning Remains In Effect
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Road crews were busy Friday afternoon and evening trying to prepare for whatever Mother Nature would throw at them with a winter storm posted and forecasts of a period of freezing rain before any precipitation turned to snow.
Fortunately, it was pretty much smooth sailing for the Friday night homeward-bound commute. Many downtown businesses closed up early, which helped to ease the usual rush hour congestion. The roads were wet, but the ground temperature was a little above freezing which helped keep things moving.
With the late afternoon temperatures plummeting from the low 60s to the 30s, the possibility of ice forming on power lines was a real concern, but as of late Friday night, there had been no reports of that happening so far.
As the rain changed over to sleet and snow, the speed limits on regional Interstates was lowered to 45 miles an hour, but the drivers didn't seem to be paying too much attention to the warnings.
The Mon Parking Wharf was closed early in the afternoon Friday because of the record rainfall and melting snow.
The city of Pittsburgh was operating on a Snow Alert Level 2 plan. It said it would have about 50 vehicles salting and plowing overnight.