Erie County upgrades to Level 3 snow emergency: ‘Roadways are closed to all non-emergency travel’

PORTAGE COUNTY, Ohio — A number of counties in Northeast Ohio are now under a snow emergency as wintry weather continues to impact the region.

After spending hours at a Level 2 snow emergency, Erie County has elevated to a Level 3. They posted the update on Facebook, saying that “roadways are closed to all non-emergency travel due to extremely hazardous conditions.”

“Motorists are advised to avoid driving unless necessary,” according to the Facebook posts from the sheriff’s office in both Lorain and Huron counties.

But what does this actually mean for you? There are three different snow emergency levels, which the Erie County Sheriff’s Office outlines as follows:

“The Sheriff’s Office utilizes standardized winter road condition advisory levels to inform the public about the general condition of roadways throughout the county during a winter storm, particularly in the rural areas,” according to the sheriff’s site. “Localized geographical areas within the county may experience better–or worse–road conditions then those listed in a given advisory level.”