(La Porte County, IN) - Don’t travel unless you absolutely have to with conditions looking more like the North Pole with two days left to Christmas.

 

“Make that tough decision and stay home,” said Mike Kellems, a police officer from La Porte.

 

String winds and several inches of fresh snow on the ground have greatly reduced visibility especially in open areas.  The temperatures before sunrise were also well below zero.

 

La Porte County Highway Department Superintendent Duane Werner said it’s just too dangerous to be on the roads because of the blowing and drifting.

 

“We can go from good visibility for a quarter of a mile and the next minute you can’t see 15 feet in front of you,” Werner said.

 

Werner said the roads are mostly passable but snow drifts of up to four feet were encountered by snow plow drivers in spots this morning.

 

“By all means, stay home if you can,” he said.

 

Werner said it appears the highest snow is close to the Michigan line with roughly six to eight inches on the ground.

 

Kellems said drivers venturing out should have things like a cell phone, blanket and tank full of gas in case they get stranded.

 

Local government offices are closed today because of the extreme weather.