(La Porte County, IN) - The first snowfall of the season measured close to a foot in some locations.

 

The official total in the City of La Porte was 8.8 inches, according to the water department, which keeps track of daily precipitation amounts, including snowfall.

 

5.8 inches was on the ground by midnight.   Another three inches of snow came down until it stopped around 4 a.m., the water department reported.

 

La Porte Code Enforcement Director Jeff Batchelor said a majority of city streets were cleared of snow by daybreak from being out since early this morning.

 

“It’s been a battle just to stay up with it.   We’re making some headway now,” he said.  

 

La Porte County Commissioner Steve Holifield estimated 10 to 12 inches of snow came down in Mill Creek where he lives and runs a farm.  He said there was also some blowing and drifting snow.

 

“That was quite a storm that came through,” said Holifield, whose power was still out this morning after he lost service about 10 p.m.

 

Michigan City resident Bob Johnson estimated at least five inches of snow was on the ground at his residence near Pahs Road.  Johnson said the main arteries he traveled early this morning were clear and so were many of the side streets from snow plows out early.

 

New Buffalo resident Bob Stratton said about eight inches of snow came down where he lives in the city.

 

According to the National Weather Service, a winter storm warning remains in effect until midnight.  Lake effect snow bands over the area have since moved to Chicago but are expected to return from a change in wind direction later today.

 

Another three to six inches of snow is predicted.

 

Close to 500 NIPSCO customers in the La Porte area were without power this morning while another 172 customers  of the utility were in the dark in the Michigan City area. 

 

Another 444 customers of Indiana Michigan Power Company in the New Buffalo area lost power for about two hours Sunday afternoon.