An ice storm downed trees, caused widespread traffic delays and left thousands of residents without power across the Miami Valley Thursday morning.
As of 11:15 a.m., 18,704 Dayton Power and Light customers were without power.
In a statement, a company spokesperson said many power outages were caused by heavy ice bringing down tree limbs onto power equipment.
Downed trees and icy road conditions also led to a number of traffic incidents Thursday morning.
The Ohio Department of Transportation began sending plow trucks onto area roadways at 3 a.m. Thursday.
A spokesperson says plows are expected to remain on the roads until the weather system passes.
ODOT Public Information Officer Kaitlyn Thompson advises commuters to use caution during the Thursday evening commute.
“Take your time, slow down, give yourself enough time to get to your destination,” Thompson says. “Watch the weather and know what’s coming, because it can change in a matter of minutes.”
Thompson says a total of 96 plow trucks were dispatched to regional roadways Thursday.