LaPorte County digging out after almost 2 feet of lake-effect snow

by Kelli Cheatham (kcheatham@wsbt.com)

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The lake-effect snowstorm that hit parts of LaPorte County

The lake-effect snowstorm that hit parts of LaPorte County and dumped 24" is the biggest snow in that area in over four years, according to WSBT-TV Meteorologist Rick Mecklenburg. (WSBT photo)

By WSBT News1

Story Created: Feb 4, 2009 at 5:42 PM EST

Story Updated: Feb 4, 2009 at 6:07 PM EST

LAPORTE COUNTY — Lake-effect snow can be finicky — one area gets pounded, while another sees nothing but blue skies. Many people in western LaPorte County are waist deep in snow after the latest lake-effect storm.

If you're in South Bend, Mishawaka or even New Carlisle, it's tough to imagine what some people in the Westville area are calling the most lake-effect snow in their area in more than 20 years.

"[We're] probably getting about three inches an hour," estimated Troy Sunderland late Wednesday morning.

The snow created by cold air over Lake Michigan is often a thin line between a little white, and whiteout.

That's why on the west side of LaPorte, there were just a few flurries and sunshine. But a few miles away in Westville, people were digging out from upwards of 20 inches as the snow continued to come down.

"This is more snow than we've seen in a lot of years," said Janet Sales, who has lived in Westville 23 years. "My husband was estimating in the mid-1980s."

Sales said usually Westville is on the tail end of the lake-effect, with either Porter or St. Joseph counties getting the most snow. But this time, she was the one trying to dig out!

The heaviest snows made driving on State Road 2 dangerous. Even in our StormTracker H2, it was very difficult.

But that didn't keep UPS driver Patrick Noberowske off the roads.

"Getting up a driveway can sometimes be a task," he told WSBT. "So you do what you can, dress warm and hope for the best."

Noberowske said it's usually up to the drivers to decide whether roads are safe enough to deliver.

Some LaPorte County kids who got a snow day out of the storm gave entrepreneurship a try.

"We cleaned off [the sidewalk at] that house over there and the neighbor gave us money," said 10-year-old Jovani Villa.

When asked how much money he made, Villa replied, "a dollar."

As Sales continued to dig out, she wondered how long it would be until spring arrives. She also had one more question about the two feet of snow outside her home.

"Where can I send it?" she asked.

Late Wednesday afternoon, roads in much of western LaPorte County were still snow-covered and very slick. County police were warning drivers to watch out for tow trucks pulling cars out of ditches.

State Police said the Toll Road was finally starting to get back to normal, after lots of slide-offs throughout the day.

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