'Accumulated fast:' Kenosha snow plowers face the cold to clear the roads for drivers

Phillip Menard

KENOSHA -- Kenosha County got hit with six to eight inches of snow overnight Friday, Jan. 18. On Saturday morning, crews were working to clear the roads all day long. Wisconsinites are no strangers to several inches of snow, but the first heavy snowfall of the season came much later than usual.

"This one's not that bad -- it just it accumulated fast, so it was a little hard to stay in front of it," said snow plow driver Phillip Menard.

Plowing crews worked long, hard shifts to get the roads cleared for drivers.

"It's been pretty hectic," said Menard. "A lot of people calling wondering why stuff isn't done right away."

Under a snow emergency, Kenosha was covered in at least 7 inches of snow by early Saturday morning. Snow plowers have been trying to clear the roadways since 1 a.m. But as the snow continued to fall, it was hard to maintain a steady pace.

Matthew Gallion

"With the amount of snow, it just takes so much longer to clear the roads than it would if we had a couple inches," said Matthew Gallion, L&L Concrete.

The heavy snow also made it difficult for some plows and equipment to operate.

"We've had a few things break here and there," said Gallion.

Dan Neary

But it wasn't just Kenosha that snow plowers were putting in their time. Crews all over southeastern Wisconsin were doing their best to make the roads passable for drivers.

"Usually, the first snow is the hardest," said Dan Neary of Rockstar Landscaping. "You put a lot more stress on your vehicle, so stuff is bound to happen."

Crews working to clear the roads said they'll be out until at least midnight Saturday, and possibly into Sunday morning.