Winter storm cleanup continues in southern Ohio

COLUMBUS (WCMH) -- Temperatures finally edged above freezing Sunday afternoon under bright sunshine, providing Ohio residents an opportunity to chip away at lingering ice and snow coating surface.

According to PowerOutage.us, about a quarter of customers in Hocking County were still without power Sunday afternoon, and a total of 16,000 around the state, following Thursday's severe ice storm. At one point Friday morning, more than 86,000 had lost power in the state following up to 16 hours of freezing rain and sleet, before the wintry mix changed to snow.

Ice accumulations of .25 inches were common in southeastern Ohio, with the greatest ice accretion in Hocking and Morgan counties. A storm report from McConnelsville noted 0.4 inches of ice. Farther north, sleet accumulated to a depth of 1.5 inches in the Columbus area and 4.5 inches at New Philadelphia.

Tree limbs and power lines weighed down by ice snapped, causing widespread electrical outages later Thursday and Friday, made worse by gusty winds. Across the northern portion of Ohio, snow piled up from six to 12 inches, with considerable blowing and drifting in near-blizzard conditions Thursday, tapering off snow showers Friday.

Snowfall in the Columbus area ranged from 4.2 inches at John Glenn Columbus International Airport to 7.5 inches near the Columbus Zoo. Two to 4 inches of snow fell south of the I-270 Outerbelt atop a thick layer of ice. In northern Ohio, Toledo received 12.7 inches, and eight to 10 inches blanketed most areas north of U.S. Highway 30.

Moderating temperatures late in the weekend aided in the cleanup process, as crews continue to work on fully restoring power in southeastern Ohio communities hard-hit by the ice storm. Conditions were made worse by fallen trees and flooding that blocked roadways in rural areas Friday.