A Travel Warning has been issued for LaPorte and Starke Counties by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
A Travel Warning is the highest level of local travel advisory, which means that travel may be restricted to emergency management workers only. During a “warning” local travel advisory, individuals are directed to:
- (A) refrain from all travel;
- (B) comply with necessary emergency measures;
- (C) cooperate with public officials and disaster services forces in executing emergency operations plans; and
- (D) obey and comply with the lawful directions of properly identified officers.
The Travel Warning is due to the abundance of lake-effect snow that LaPorte and Starke Counties have been receiving. The National Weather Service previously issued a Winter Storm Warning for LaPorte, Starke, along with St. Joseph and Marshall Counties in Indiana and Berrien County in Michigan.
The National Weather Service forecast heavy lake effect snow with additional snow accumulations of 2 to 9 inches. The said the snowfall rates could come with 1 to 2 inches per hour with whiteout conditions with near zero visibility expected at times. The lake-effect snow band is expected to move eastward into St. Joseph County by evening, affecting more travel as it does so.
Also, a Winter Weather Ban has been issued on the Indiana Toll Road from the Illinois state line to St. Joseph County. The ban is for triple-tractor-trailers, long-doubles and high-profile oversize permit loads. Those vehicles need to stay off the toll road through 7 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20.
#TrafficAlert: All WB traffic on @IndianaTollRoad being diverted off at Exit 72 due to multiple crashes and slide offs in LaPorte County.
Recommend not going west but if you must, taking SR2 west will avoid Michigan City.
Clean up could take hours. pic.twitter.com/EbHG7X7qNi
— Sgt. Ted Bohner (@ISPBremen) January 19, 2024
