(Photo by Evan Bevins) A wheel loader dumps salt into a City of Parkersburg truck equipped with a spreader and plow at the city salt dome during Friday’s snowfall.

PARKERSBURG — Winter weather brought hazardous driving conditions, multiple crashes and heightened emergency responses across the Mid-Ohio Valley on Friday, as local officials urged residents to stay off the roads and road crews worked to keep up with snow and ice control.

A supervisor at the Wood County 911 Center said there have been a number of accidents

The snow started at around 10 a.m., and it wasn’t too long before they started seeing “traffic issues.”

“We have had a lot of accidents,” the supervisor said.

Many of those included cars that have slid off the road and a number of fender benders.

(Photo by Evan Bevins) A wheel loader dumps salt into a City of Parkersburg dump truck equipped with a spreader and plow at the city salt dome during Friday’s snowfall.

“We probably had at least 10 accidents,” the supervisor said just before 1:30 p.m.

There were two vehicles that had rolled over onto their sides along Interstate 77 in the southbound lane. A box truck rolled over between the Emerson Avenue and Williamstown exits. The other was a pickup truck that went on its side on I-77 south just north of U.S. 50. Nobody was reported transported from either scene with injuries.

“We have been fortunate so far,” the supervisor said just before 1:30 p.m.

He was advising people to stay off the roadways while these conditions continued, if possible.

Jeremy Michael, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Charleston, said 1-3 inches of snow fell throughout the area with a little less around Clarksburg and towards Fairmont.

(Photo by Evan Bevins) A City of Parkersburg dump truck equipped with a plow heads back out to treat roads during Friday’s snowfall after getting a refill at the city salt dome.

“The heaviest snow for the Parkersburg area is certainly over,” Michael said just before 4 p.m. Friday.

He said there was a possibility of additional snow showers throughout the evening Friday with some having been heavy at times with light accumulation.

It was expected to get cold Friday night and into early Saturday with wind chills that could reach -10.

On Saturday, it will still be cold with a little bit of sun and highs in the upper teens/lower 20s during the day. Another cold night is expected Saturday with a low of around 3 degrees or colder in some areas, Michael said.

No more precipitation is expected until the middle of next week, but that is looking more like rain, Michael said.

(Photo from West Virginia Department of Transportation traffic camera) A screenshot from a West Virginia Department of Transportation traffic camera shows roads visible with snow on Interstate 77 near mile marker 176 Friday morning.

“The thing to remember is the slick conditions with any roads that still have snow or ice on them,” he said. “They are going to freeze up (Friday night) with the bitterly cold temperatures coming in.

“It is going to be really cold the next couple of mornings.”

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office issued a Level 2 snow emergency Friday. A post on the office’s Facebook page said roadways were considered hazardous and individuals should drive only if absolutely necessary.

During a Marietta City Council meeting Thursday, Mayor Josh Schlicher said the city has responded to multiple infrastructure emergencies over the past two weeks, including at least five waterline breaks and ongoing sewer issues, while also maintaining snow and ice control during winter storms.

Schlicher said all city units were placed on heightened readiness because of weather conditions and crews were directed to use salt-only applications on city streets after previous mixed treatments proved ineffective.

(Photo by Evan Bevins) Belpre Street Department Foreman Chris Barringer uses an excavator to clear snow from the Belpre Volunteer Fire Department lot off Stone Road Friday afternoon following new snowfall.

“We’ve had issues with that cutting the ice and snow, so we mandated that only salt be used,” Schlicher said.

The shift to salt-only treatment raised concerns about inventory levels. Schlicher said the city is running low but remains operational.

“We’ve been using a lot of salt, and we are running low, but we have been able to maintain adequate levels at this point,” he said.

Safety and Service Director Steve Wetz said the Ohio Department of Transportation loaned the city 200 tons of salt to help crews keep up with demand during recent storms.

“We have to repay them, but it bailed us out,” he said.

Wetz said the loan helped the city maintain safe road conditions during the worst of the recent winter weather.

Marietta Main Street was still planning to hold its First Friday event, with the theme Cupid Shuffle, for anyone who wanted to participate. Executive Director Jen Tinkler said they only planned to cancel if a Level 3 snow emergency was declared, although some businesses were opting to close early because of the weather.

In Parkersburg, Mayor Tom Joyce said snow removal crews only had one day off in the last two weeks, thanks to the snow, sleet and consistent below-freezing temperatures.

“We’re well over 1,100 hours of snow removal on the books,” he said. “I’m proud of the guys.”

Joyce said he appreciated the patience most residents have shown, noting there was only so much the city could do to address the treacherous conditions.

“We don’t have ice plows. We have snow plows,” he said, adding the city rented a second grader to help.

The city received its full order of salt this winter and had more delivered on Friday.

“They’re trying to be judicious and prudent in where they use it and how much they use,” Joyce said.

City Editor Evan Bevins and Staff Reporter Brett Dunlap contributed to this story.