Mayor Hogsett and Other Indy Leaders Discuss Winter Weather
INDIANAPOLIS — In a press conference Friday, Mayor Joe Hogsett and other leaders in Indianapolis talked about the incoming winter storm across the state.
Hogsett, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works (Indy DPW), the National Weather Service, and AES Indiana all urge people in Indiana to stay safe during the storm.
Forecasters expect at least five inches of snow for much of central Indiana and closer to 12 inches towards southern Indiana, but Indianapolis is equally concerned about a huge drop in wind chills that will follow the storm.
“I want to caution residents of our city that road conditions are expected to be particularly hazardous on Sunday, and we are asking community members to avoid any and all unnecessary travel,” Hogsett said.
Infrastructure and utility teams are already moving into emergency shifts to handle the snow and the extreme cold. Todd Wilson, the Director of Indy DPW, explained that Indianapolis will have full staffing throughout the weekend, though he warned that the deep freeze will change how they fight the storm.
“The cold temperatures will significantly reduce the effectiveness of salt as a deicing agent,” Wilson said. “When temperatures reach the point where the salt is no longer effective, crews will suspend salt application and adjust operations accordingly.”
Utility leaders from AES Indiana added that while they don’t expect widespread power outages from the snow, they have additional crews ready to handle the increased demand for electricity as wind chills drop to 20 degrees below zero.
