Fort Wayne prepares for winter blast

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Northeast Indiana is expected to get up to five to seven inches of snow Wednesday, and people have been preparing over the past few days.

“It’s December, so it’s about time we get some snow," said Derek Dalton who was visiting family in Fort Wayne for the holidays. "It’s been awhile."

The dry grounds have seemed quite out of place for this time of year, but they aren't lasting long. However, some people are upset it’s coming a day late.

“Nervous and kind of excited but really just upset that it’s not snowing and it’s Christmas Day, but I’m really just hoping it’s not as bad they say it’ll be," said Chloey Stewart, who lives in Fort Wayne.

The only problem is the day after Christmas is usually a big travel day. A spokesperson from the  Indiana Department of Transportation said they have a full staff on call to monitor and clean the snow. They have 144 routes within the 17 counties included in the Fort Wayne District that each take about two hours to clean. Wednesday, crews will be cleaning those routes continuously. However, the weather still has people re-thinking their travel plans.

"Tomorrow, I’m supposed to head back to Indy because I go to school in Indy," Dalton said. "It might change things."

INDOT said if people have to travel tomorrow, make sure you slow down, put down any distractions, break early, and give snow plows room to work.

People can also call INDOT's customer service line at (866) 227-3555 to report any icy road conditions.