FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): It will likely be a long night for City of Fort Wayne Street Department drivers as they plan to plow around the clock to battle the latest winter storm.

Tonight, large amounts of powdery snow and high winds are expected, which means roads may drift shut soon after they are cleared. Motorists are encouraged to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary, and Mayor Tom Henry encourages employers to let their employees work from home on Tuesday if possible. Having less vehicles on the streets will maximize our Street Department’s snow removal efforts.

Residents are also encouraged to find off-street parking so trucks can blade as close to the curb as possible.

It usually takes 10-12 hours AFTER the snow stops falling to plow and salt priority one and two streets. Residential streets generally take 48 hours to plow if crews don’t have to move back to priority one or two streets to clear them again.

The Street Department is responsible for 1,200 miles of streets and roads and has 18 snow routes. More information about Street Department efforts can be found at www.cityoffortwayne.org/snow.