Lake-effect snow showers pound northern Indiana counties

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - Authorities say lake-effect snow showers reducing visibility to near zero at times have led to multiple crashes and slide-offs in northern Indiana.

Police say one of the crashes Wednesday on the St. Joseph Valley Parkway in St. Joseph County involved a patrol car. There was no immediate word on any injuries.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for St. Joseph, Elkhart and LaPorte counties through 10 a.m. EST Thursday.

Forecasters said snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour were possible in the heaviest bands.

The Indiana Toll Road banned certain long and high-profile vehicles through Thursday morning through the region.

The latest showers came on the heels of 24-hour snowfall accumulations of as much as 8 inches in some northern Indiana locations through Wednesday morning.