DIGGING OUT — Alex Lyons was among many residents of Oxford Boulevard and throughout Steubenville and the Ohio Valley who were clearing snow from in front of their homes after Snowstorm Fern dumped up to a foot of it on this region. -- Warren Scott

On Monday, state and local road crews and many area residents could be found clearing pounds of snow from highways, streets and their front sidewalks and steps.

Originating from the Gulf Coast, Snowstorm Fern dumped up to a foot of snow on the Ohio Valley and will be leaving a spate of subzero temperatures behind.

“The temperatures are going to be the big story now,” said Mike Kennedy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Pittsburgh office in Moon Township.

Kennedy said after today, for which a high temperature of 24 degrees has been projected, thermometers aren’t expected to rise any farther than the teens through Saturday, with a wind chill factor making the air feel like it’s in the single digits.

He added low temperatures through the week are expected to drop below 0, without the wind chill factor taken into consideration.

Frostbite can occur when skin is exposed to subzero temperatures in as little as 30 minutes, so everyone is encouraged to dress warmly and cover their heads, faces and hands when going outside.

It will come as a relief to many, however, that snow showers today are expected to bring only a half-inch of accumulation, with only a 20 percent chance of precipitation and little accumulation projected to follow on Wednesday.

The heavy snowfall kept road crews busy through the last few days.

Brian Kusich, district manager for the West Virginia Division of Highways’ District 6 Office, said about 80 trucks were dispatched across the district’s six Northern Panhandle counties, including Hancock and Brooke.

He said the crews started preparing on Saturday afternoon and since then, “They have been around the clock on two 12-hour shifts.”

Kusich said after focusing on primary routes much of the time, they had started on secondary routes Monday afternoon.

He asked area residents to “just be patient. The roads are passable. They’re not bare. Just exercise cautious driving.”

Lauren Borell, public information officer for the Ohio Department of Transportation, said its District 11 headquarters has dispatched about 90 trucks onto routes across its seven-county region, which includes Jefferson, Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Harrison, Holmes and Tuscarawas counties.

“Crews reported in around 6 p.m. Saturday and have been working 12-hour shifts, plowing and treating roadways,” said Borell.

“In the last 24 hours, ODOT crews across the state have covered 180,000 miles. That’s seven trips around the globe, or 16 roundtrips from New York City to Los Angeles,” she said.

Borell said the cold temperatures have made their work difficult because salt loses its effectiveness at 20 degrees, so other materials, including a sugar beet biproduct, are added at times.

She said the crews will continue on 12-hour shifts until all of the roads under its jurisdiction are cleared, but she asks drivers to use caution when encountering plow trucks.

“We had 34 plows struck before this storm. Please give crews room to work,” said Borell.

State highway officials have advised drivers to stay at least 10 feet behind plow trucks and not to attempt to pass them.

Steubenville City Manager Jim Mavromatis said city crews were busy over the weekend, working 12-hour shifts to keep streets passable.

Monday morning the focus shifted to clean up, he said.

“… You can see the roads getting better,” he said, adding, “they did a remarkable job this weekend — also the citizens, by keeping their cars off the roadways. I was out yesterday, checking our roads — there was a little traffic, not much — it made our jobs a lot easier.”

Toronto Fire Chief Ryan Boyd asked residents who can safely venture into the cold, while dressed appropriately, to clear snow from around fire hydrants near their homes.

Boyd said crews were working to do that through Monday and were aided by two Toronto High School students, Michael Henry and Chase Heckathorn.

Boyd said residents also can reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning by clearing snow from all external vents.

In addition to watching their carbon monoxide detectors, residents should be aware that headaches, dizziness, nausea and confusion can be symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, he said.

Local officials also have warned residents to avoid overexerting themselves, taking breaks between shoveling, to prevent heart attacks that can be spurred by working against the cold.

Officials with the Brooke and Hancock county emergency management agencies said they weren’t aware of any homes without power on Monday.

But they noted warming shelters can be made available at the Weirton Millsop Community Center, Follansbee Community House, Wellsburg Fire Hall, Bethany Community Center and Beech Bottom Fire Department.

The Friendship Room’s Molly McGovern said they were “maxed out” over the weekend and sent their overflow to the Jefferson Metropolitan Housing Authority, which had opened up the Community Room at the John F. Kennedy Building to those needing shelter during the storm.

With this week’s forecast calling for low temperatures below zero, McGovern said she doesn’t see it slowing down anytime soon.

“We’re working with JMHA and Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla Jr. to make sure people (who need help) are being taken care of in our county, but we’ve also gotten calls from Columbiana County, Harrison County and Hancock County, not just Jefferson County. I just had a call from Hammondsville — some people are coming down — I’m anticipating we’re going to be pretty busy this week.”

McGovern said they “probably had about 15 people overnight, and that’s not including the people stopping in, getting warm and leaving. And it’s not counting the people we got food to or baby formula and diapers.”

She said Abdalla “sent his (deputies) out to get people for us and take people food. We’re so grateful to him. All weekend, Freddie sent his deputies out to get people for us and take them food. Right now, they’re getting baby formula for a family — we had another family the other night lose their furnace and they had a baby in the house. The sheriff has just been awesome.

“And JMHA, they got a lot of people in. We’re doing really well with resources, between JMHA helping out so much and the sheriff’s office, we’re in good shape.”

Going forward, she said, “It’s really the cold I’m worried about this week — the snow is pretty but severe cold is life-threatening, and when you look at the forecast, it doesn’t look like it’s going to get any better any time soon.”

For now, she said, “We have plenty of food: We’ve been able to give some to families (in need) and the sheriff’s been delivering food for us, making sure the elderly and families with children who may not necessarily be homeless but don’t have the resources at the end of the month (for food) can eat — these are people who would normally come to us (here) but couldn’t.”

McGovern said JMHA and Friendship Room “want people to know we are a presence, we are the front line and we’re taking care of anyone in need.

An overnight warming center, open from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., has been established at Holy Family Parish’s Malara Hall at 2565 Alexander Ave., Steubenville. Visitors may not have weapons, alcohol, drugs or related paraphernalia on their person.

Those needing transportation to the hall may wait outside Beacon House, the South Fourth Street location of the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County and the Church at 1211 Park St. between 9 a.m. and noon.

Those needing rides can call or text (740) 661-3510 between those hours to let organizers know they will be waiting at one of those locations.

No one will be admitted after midnight.

(Staff writer Linda Harris contributed to this story)