Lyndhurst snow damage

Snow collected on leaves and branches brought down a high number of trees and power lines, like this one, in Lyndhurst.

(Courtesy of Fred Glady)

MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Longtime Service Director Andrew Fornaro, who has served 53 years with the Mayfield Heights Service Department, said today's snowfall represents the heaviest he has seen this early in the year.

Fornaro said trees and tree limbs have fallen on houses, cars and across roads due to the wet, heavy nature of the snow.

"We had a tree fall on a house on Larchmont, on a car on Mayfield Ridge, and on a house on Ranchland," Fornaro said. "We've got more than 40 calls about downed trees and limbs. You wouldn't believe how many trees are down."

Snow started falling in the Hillcrest area at about 2:30 a.m. Snow plowing crews were put on the roads at about 4:30 a.m. in Mayfield Heights, Lyndhurst and other Hillcrest communities.

"We've got about six-eight inches and it's still falling," Fornaro said at about 10:15 a.m. "The wet snow is the worst because it's harder to push."

Fornaro said his crews have made it to every street in the city at least once and are now on their second round of the streets.

Lyndhurst Service Department Foreman Bill Milner said nine men were out plowing the streets this morning and that eight or nine men were specifically out dealing with fallen limbs.

"No, not really," Milner, a 34-year service department veteran said when asked if he had seen such a snowfall this early in the season. "We usually have some snow in October, the earliest was maybe Oct. 2 or 3, but nothing like this."

First Energy spokesman Mark Durbin said there are approximately 40,000 customers without power in Cuyahoga and Geauga counties. Durbin could not give an exact count, but he said, "About three-fourths of the customers without power in Cuyahoga County are in [the Hillcrest] area.

"We are asking people to be cautious around all fallen limbs because the are taking down power lines," he said.

Durbin said First Energy is hoping to restore power to many of its customers by late today, but added that some won't have their power back until Friday.