A winter storm warning has been issued for Portage County until 4 a.m. Monday.

The National Weather Service (NWS) is predicting a low of 4 degrees Sunday night and is encouraging residents to avoid travel, according to a winter weather warning released Sunday morning.

“If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of emergency,” the warning stated.

Winter storm Harper is expected to bring wind chill temperatures between zero and minus 24 below zero Sunday night and into Monday morning with a possible 2 to 4 more inches of snow.

The main roads are passable while the side roads are still covered in snow, according to Kent officials. The city also announced that snow plows are working to clear roadways and are encouraging residents to drive carefully.

So far, Portage County has an estimated 8 to 12 inches on the ground, according to the NWS.

The Ohio Department of Transportation tweeted this afternoon there were “over 100 plows on District 4 roads this afternoon.” District 4 encompasses six counties, including Portage County.

The snowstorm prompted the city of Kent to implement a parking ban yesterday, which is still in effect. This means motorists are prohibited from parking on city streets to make it easier for plows and emergency vehicles to get through. 

The Summit County Sheriff’s Department issued a snow emergency encouraging “only those who feel it is necessary to drive should be on the roadways.”

According to the Portage County Sheriff’s Department, Portage County doesn’t issue snow emergency levels. For more information on what levels mean, click here.

Ella Abbott is a senior reporter. Contact her at [email protected].

Brandon Bounds is a general assignment reporter. Contact him at [email protected].