Winter Storm Fern

Updated: 6:28 pm on Sunday, 25 January 2026

*Updates will be added to this post and highlighted GREEN to indicate it is new or a change/update.

Clinton County Weather & Statewide Impact Update As of 12:14 PM — Sunday, January 25

Ohio remains under the effects of Winter Storm Fern, and while much of the attention locally is focused on Clinton County, there are significant impacts unfolding across the state and in parts of the South. Below is a prioritized update, starting with Clinton County and local communities, followed by statewide conditions and regional impacts.

Clinton County — Local Status & Impacts

Clinton County remains under a Level 2 Snow Emergency, meaning roadways are hazardous and travel should be limited unless necessary.

Active Watches, Warnings, & Advisories

• Winter Storm Warning through January 26 at 12:00 PM EST

• Cold Weather Advisory from January 26 at 12:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST

• Extreme Cold Warning from January 26 at 6:00 PM to January 27 at 12:00 PM EST

Countywide & Community Updates

Clinton County (County Government)

• Local government offices will be closed Monday due to weather.

• Clinton County Health District office will be CLOSED Monday, January 26, 2026 due to the weather. If you need immediate assistance, feel free to reach out via email- info@clincohd.com - we're still here to help remotely!

• Clinton County Board of Health Meeting is rescheduled to Monday, February 2, 2026 at 9:00 am.

Wilmington

• Municipal offices closed Monday, January 26

• Wilmington Transit closed Monday, January 26

• Wilmington Walmart will be closing at 4pm Sunday (January 25) due to weather conditions!

• Wilmington City Schools are closed Monday, January 26

• WCS Board meeting is rescheduled for Thursday, 1/29/26 at 4:00 pm at the Board Office.

• Wilmington Christian Academy closed Monday, January 26

• Laural Oaks Career Campus closed Monday, January 26

Blanchester

• Residents urged to stay off roads unless travel is for emergencies

• Village Snow Emergency remains in effect: Vehicles parked in restricted areas WILL BE towed to allow snow removal

• Blanchester School District closed Monday, January 26

• Due to inclement weather, all non-essential village services will be closed Monday. Emergency services will remain fully operational.

Clarksville

• Clinton-Massie Schools closed Monday, January 26 (Snow Day)

New Vienna

• Family Dollar closed until further notice due to weather and travel hazards

• New Vienna Library closed for business on Monday, January 26

Sabina

• Sabina Public Library closed for business on Monday, January 26

• East Clinton Schools will be closed on Monday, January 26.

Martinsville, Midland, Sabina, Port William

• No new impacts reported at this time

Snow Emergency Levels Across Ohio

As of this afternoon:

Source: Ohio News & Weather https://belparkmedia.com/snow-emergencies/

• Level 3 Snow Emergency — 45 counties (Includes Fayette and Highland Counties)

• Level 2 Snow Emergency — 31 counties (Includes Clinton County)

• Level 1 Snow Emergency — 2 counties

• 9 counties do not issue Snow Emergency levels

Level 3 counties face the most hazardous travel conditions, with roads considered unsafe except for emergency travel.

Statewide Conditions — Ohio Impact Overview

Winter Storm Fern continues to impact large portions of Ohio, bringing heavy snowfall, dangerous road conditions, water infrastructure disruptions, and communications issues.

Key Statewide Concerns

• Transportation disruptions due to snow and ice

• Localized water system failures

• Communications interruptions

• Warming centers opened in multiple counties to support vulnerable populations

• No county emergency declarations issued statewide at this time

• No resource requests pending as of this update

Water System Impacts

Morrow County

• Approximately 3,500 customers under a boil advisory

• 800 residents waiting on full system repressurization following a water main break

• Water tower refill is still in progress

Cuyahoga & Medina Counties

• Cleveland Water restored pressure to most of 12,300 impacted connections

OSHP Updates:

• Montgomery County: OSHP reported a fatal crash near Dayton, OH.

ODOT Operations & Road Conditions (Statewide)

Ohio Department of Transportation continues full snow and ice operations:

• 1,483 trucks available

• 1,232 crews working

• 435 trucks currently deployed on active routes

District Highlights

• Districts 1–3, 7, 9–11 — No major closures or significant issues

• District 4 (Trumbull County) — Semi in median on SR-11; lanes remain open

• District 5 (Fairfield & Perry Counties) — Minor crashes; multiple plow trucks struck; no injuries

• District 6 (Delaware & Marion Counties) — Two plow trucks struck; no injuries; trucks back in service

• District 8 (Warren & Preble Counties)

  • SR-350 closed due to steep grade and heavy snow

  • One plow rollover; one truck slid off roadway into a pole — no injuries

• District 12 (Cuyahoga County) — ODOT truck struck; heavy damage but operational

  • Rumor of fatality is false — incident was mechanical only

Communications Alert System Issue (Statewide)

(Resolved) Hyper-Reach, a commonly used emergency alert platform, is currently experiencing a partial outage, which may delay or interrupt emergency message delivery.

• Technical teams are actively working on restoration

• Residents should rely on multiple information sources during this period

Regional & Southern State Impacts — Ice Storm Effects

Beyond Ohio, a significant ice storm is impacting parts of the Southern United States, compounding travel and infrastructure disruptions.

Notable Southern Impacts

• Widespread power outages due to ice-laden power lines and falling trees

• Major road closures across parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, and surrounding states

• Air and freight travel delays, impacting supply chains and shipping timelines

• Strain on utility crews, many of whom are responding across multiple states

• Potential ripple effects on fuel deliveries, grocery supply chains, and regional logistics

These impacts may slow restoration timelines in some areas and could affect regional resource availability if conditions worsen.

Closing Thoughts

While Clinton County continues to manage local impacts from Winter Storm Fern, this event remains a multi-state winter emergency affecting transportation, utilities, water systems, and communications across Ohio and beyond.

Residents should:

• Limit travel where possible

• Monitor official local updates

• Prepare for dangerous cold conditions over the next 48 hours

• Check on neighbors, especially older adults and those without reliable heat