By Joshua Benton and Kim Bates
Blade Staff Writers
Page A16
Whew.
After the area’s nasty bout with winter last week – when snow became a four-letter word – local residents were thankful that Friday night’s storm whimpered instead of roared.
“This is nothing,” said David Archer, 36, who was shoveling the light accumulation the snow shower left on the walkway to his West Toledo home. “I’m happy to do this.”
About three inches of snow fell in Toledo on Friday and early yesterday morning. Forecasters had feared up to six inches, but the unexpected speed of the storm meant it left the area more quickly than expected.
“After last week, I think Toledo can deal with three inches of snow,” said Laura Hannon, a forecaster for AccuWeather, Inc., a private forecasting service based in State College, Pa.
The snow that fell – which reached four inches in some parts of the region – was nowhere near as troubling for residents and city street crews as last weekend’s blast, when eight inches of snow, blowing winds, and freezing rain made travel hazardous and trapped many in their homes.
“This system was not nearly as powerful,” Ms. Hannon said. She said that areas south of Toledo, from Findlay southward, did experience some freezing rain Friday afternoon.
And after a week of wrestling with ice and slush, drivers were treated to mostly bare pavement on Toledo’s major streets.
“It wasn’t really bad at all,” said Jesse Graham, manager of the city’s division of streets, bridges, and harbor. “We are still plugging away.”
In southeastern Michigan, the main roads were dry and most sidewalks had been shoveled. But for some people, the hard work was just beginning.
Tim Allshouse and his son, Chris, 14, were busy with two shovel’s atop the roof of Mr. Allshouse’s father’s home in Adrian.
The father-son duo carefully was moving around the roof, trying not to fall, as they threw snow and ice to the ground. Tim Allshouse said his father, Lee, 75, had discovered a leak inside his home just hours before.
“We’re doing grandpa a favor,” Tim Allshouse said. “We don’t want him on the roof.”
Inside the home, several buckets had been placed on the floor to collect water as it dripped from the ceiling.
Tim Allshouse said he planned to clear most of the roof and then take a break from all weather work. His son planned to resume studying for exams.
Despite the improved weather, some streets remained unplowed. Frederick Smith, who lives on Chesbrough Street in East Toledo, said his street has not been plowed at all since last weekend’s storm.
“We cleared all the cars off the street, but no one came to plow,” he said. “Then someone parked on the street a couple of days ago, and now a plow couldn’t come through.”
City officials have repeatedly asked residents to remove cars from their streets to allow plowing.
Mr. Smith said that, when he needs to drive down his street, he “gets a good running start and hopes no one’s coming at the intersection” with Navarre Avenue.
Adrian resident Robert Burke was spending the day exploring in Blissfield.
He was casually licking a Moose Tracks ice cream cone as he waited outside an antique store for his wife.
“There’s something about cold ice cream and cold weather. They go together,” Mr. Burke said. “It’s just a beautiful day today. I’m not worried about the weather.”
Jane Tuckerman, co-owner of the consignment store Treasures and Pleasures in Blissfield, said business was back to normal yesterday after a slow week.
“I think when the sun comes out, that really helps,” she said.
Last weekend, most of the store owners here had to shut down their businesses on both Saturday and Sunday.
The region’s good luck is scheduled to continue. Ms. Hannon said another, even weaker system is scheduled to hit the region today, but it will give only a dusting of snow, perhaps an inch or two of light powder.
The projected high is 20 degrees; the low tonight should be 10.