Snow Closes Blue Hill area Roads, and School Classes

This is a picture of a county road maintainer clearing the snow drifts south and east of Blue Hill. 

The first snow storm of the Winter hit the Blue Hill area Wednesday.  The moisture began to fall about noon and by late afternoon the area was blanketed with a white layer of snow.  High winds whipped the wet snow into drifts.  Snow plows were out early Thursday morning but not in time for the schools to open, they first notified students that they would have a late start but were forced to amend that and close for the day.  County roads workers put in a long day Thursday and another long day Friday getting the roads open so residents could get to school and work. 
The weather service in Hastings recommended that people stay off the roads unless travel was absolutely necessary.  Some Blue Hill residents who work in Hastings called it a day and came home early Wednesday.  By 3pm.Wednesday  highway 281 was already icy and the white out conditions made driving hazardous.  Numerous vehicles were in the ditches between Hastings and Blue Hill. Thursday the roads were very icy and could only be navigated with caution.  The clear weather conditions Thursday and Friday melted the packed snow and ice some, but by Saturday afternoon the highway was finally cleared of ice.
The road conditions contributed to an accident on highway 4  a couple miles west of Rosemont when a semi truck ended up on its side trying to avoid a collision while workers were trying to get a car out of the snow at an intersection. 
County gravel roads, remain snow packed and icy and drivers are urged to use care to prevent complications.
This picture shows the drift of snow on County Line road just North of Blue Hill.