HAD ENOUGH?
Wet, cold weather drags on
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

PHOTO BY ROB PRICE The Conhocton River runs high along state Route 415 in Bath Thursday, in the aftermath of melting snow and rain. The rain turned to snow, slowing the melt, and more snow was expected Friday evening and Saturday.

Old Man Winter refuses to quit.

A heavy snow storm was expected to hit the region late Friday, continuing into Saturday. And earlier last week, about two inches of heavy snow blanketed the region Thursday morning, as dropping temperatures turned rain and sleet into a short but intense snow storm.

The snow quickly covered roads, and state police and Steuben County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to investigate numerous fender benders through the morning.

"We had a bunch," said Joel Ordway, chief deputy for the sheriff's office. No injuries were reported.

The freezing temperatures, however, had a mitigating effect on flooding creeks, according to Mike Sprague, director of the county Office of emergency Services. The colder weather slowed the thaw that had begun sending waters over their flood levels Wednesday evening.

"The best news for us this morning was when it turned to snow," said Sprague. "If the snowfall had come in the form of rain, we were braced for worse."

The flooding closed several county highways, and an ice jam in Twelve-Mile Creek, in the Wallace area, forced the evacuation of two mobile homes threatened by backed-up water.

Sprague said a state Department of Transportation crew used an excavator to break up the jam, and the occupants were able to return to their homes. The incident

occurred between 4:30 and 7 p.m.

Sprague said last week's warmer temperatures melted most of the snow that had fallen last month. Colder temperatures expected through the weekend will also help, even though they prolong the winter season. "The colder weather will help get this run-off slowed down," said Sprague.