Snow blankets Bloomington, Midwest

COLUMBUS, Ind. — Snowfall snarled traffic on southern and central Indiana highways Thursday as police reported numerous crashes.

The National Weather Service reported 3 to 5 inches of snow had fallen by midafternoon in much of northern and central Indiana. The heaviest snowfall was expected in northwestern Indiana’s Porter County, where lake-effect snow was forecast to continue into Friday for total accumulations of up to 14 inches.

All parts of the state experienced highway closures, with police at times Thursday closing sections of Interstate 94 near Chesterton, along with parts of I-65, I-69 and I-70 in central Indiana and I-74 near the Ohio state line.

State police say a semitrailer driver was critically injured in a crash Thursday morning on northbound Interstate 65 near Columbus. Police also closed sections of I-65 near Franklin and Lebanon and I-70 near Greenfield at times because of crashes and slide-offs.

Numerous slide-offs also were reported on I-69 near Anderson.

A driver was reported killed in a crash with a school bus on U.S. 231 near Delphi, but no other fatalities or serious injuries were immediately reported.

Dozens of school districts across the state canceled classes as the National Weather Service issuing winter storm warnings or advisories for all of Indiana.