COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Wintry weather that blasted into Ohioovernight closed hundreds of schools
through the central andsouthwestern parts of the state Friday and made some nasty drivingconditions.The
messy mix of freezing rain and sleet that fellearly Friday was part of a sweeping weather system bringing
snow and iceto the country’s midsection. In Ohio, the mess was expected to turninto snow during the day on
Friday, with 4 to 8 inches expected in someareas.Central and southwestern counties were under a winter
stormwarning until 1 a.m. Saturday. A winter storm advisory was declared forcounties farther to the north
and west.Canceled flights were reported Friday at airports in Dayton, Columbus and Cincinnati.Crewstreated
roads before Friday’s commute. The Ohio AAA auto club expectedthousands of calls for help from stranded
drivers. The city ofCincinnati said it expected to keep 65 to 70 trucks on the road withcrews working
12-hour shifts.Some areas of the state that beganThursday with highs in the 60s are expected to see
temperatures plungeinto teens for the weekend.Winter storm and ice warnings werealso in effect Friday for
parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas,Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.The system has already
brought frigid temperatures and dumped 1 to 2 feet of snow in parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin.Copyright
2013 The Associated Press. All rightsreserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten
orredistributed.COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Wintry weather that blasted into Ohioovernight closed hundreds of
schools through the central andsouthwestern parts of the state Friday and made some nasty
drivingconditions.The messy mix of freezing rain and sleet that fellearly Friday was part of a sweeping
weather system bringing snow and iceto the country’s midsection. In Ohio, the mess was expected to turninto
snow during the day on Friday, with 4 to 8 inches expected in someareas.Central and southwestern counties
were under a winter stormwarning until 1 a.m. Saturday. A winter storm advisory was declared forcounties
farther to the north and west.Canceled flights were reported Friday at airports in Dayton, Columbus and
Cincinnati.Crewstreated roads before Friday’s commute. The Ohio AAA auto club expectedthousands of calls for
help from stranded drivers. The city ofCincinnati said it expected to keep 65 to 70 trucks on the road
withcrews working 12-hour shifts.Some areas of the state that beganThursday with highs in the 60s are
expected to see temperatures plungeinto teens for the weekend.Winter storm and ice warnings werealso in
effect Friday for parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas,Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.The system
has already brought frigid temperatures and dumped 1 to 2 feet of snow in parts of Minnesota and
Wisconsin.Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rightsreserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten orredistributed.