The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Franklin County. The warning goes in effect tonight at 7 PM and currently will last until 5 PM on Friday. The NWS expects snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches, ice accumulation, wind gusts up to 45 mph, and wind chills as low as 35 below zero.

The Perry Township Road Department will be on standby to respond to snow and ice events. Please DO NOT park your vehicles on the street to allow the plows room to work. If you must park on the street, please do not park directly across from another car. 

The Road Department will not be able to lay down salt until the rain clears this evening. Since road salt normally does not work below 18 degrees, the Road Department is pretreating their salt with GeoMelt, which help it work at lower temperatures. The crew will work as fast as conditions allow.

Rumpke currently plans to provide trash service as scheduled Friday morning. They are monitoring the situation and will communicate service adjustments as needed on their website: https://www.rumpke.com/. Please secure your bins as best you can because of the high winds. 

AEP Ohio is preparing crews to respond to outages during the storm. AEP would like residents to be prepared for the possibility of power outages. Updates will be available on the AEP Ohio website: https://www.aepohio.com/. If you see downed power lines, call 911 and AEP Ohio at (800) 672-2231. 

Avoid outside activities if possible. When outside, make sure you wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves. If you must travel on Friday, the NWS suggest keeping an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of emergency. Please be especially cautious while driving due to the slippery conditions. 

Thank you, and stay safe.