Large storm dumps a foot or more of snow on northern Indiana

PLYMOUTH, Ind. (AP) - A winter storm dumped a foot or more of snow Sunday on parts of far northern Indiana, leading to power outages for thousands of homes and businesses while travelers faced hazardous road conditions.

The National Weather Service said 14 inches of snow had fallen in South Bend by nightfall Sunday, while a foot or more was on the ground in Plymouth, Elkhart and several other northern Indiana communities.

Snowfall amounts were significantly less over north-central Indiana, and the precipitation fell mostly as rain over the central and south parts of the state.

Hardy fans who attended Sunday's Notre Dame's women's basketball game against Wake Forest said the roads were a little slippery but not anything unusual for South Bend, which averages 82 inches of snow a year.

"We've got four-wheel drive, so we didn't have any trouble," said 80-year-old Willie Weeks from nearby Granger.

Weeks' wife, Helen, said the couple had not missed a game in three or four years

"We're here for the girls," she said before the Irish defeated Wake Forest 92-63.

Jack Dillon, a 68-year-old who works in South Bend's engineering department, attended the game but said he was thinking about skipping a Super Bowl party he was invited to on Sunday night.

"If it continues to snow, it's not worth it," he said.

Forecasters said up to about 16 inches of snow was possible over far northern Indiana before the storm pushes to the east.

National Weather Service meteorologist Brentley Lothamer said a wave of frigid air behind the storm is expected to drop temperatures into the single digits over the far north by Monday morning and into the teens and 20s over the rest of the state.

Northern Indiana Public Service Co. said about 6,300 of its customers remained without power Sunday evening after overburdened tree limbs damaged power lines. Up to about 8,000 NIPSCO customers had been without power by noon Sunday before utility crews got to work.