Indiana officials have so far confirmed 6 deaths related to the winter storm that began Jan. 5 and affected nearly the entire state.

As of this morning, 56 counties remained in a Travel Watch (orange) declaration and 23 counties were in Travel Advisory (yellow). Largely, the roads are impacted by snow that has been packed down and frozen in the subzero temperatures that have lingered since Monday.

Even if a county is not designated as “red,” the highest warning on the Indiana Department of Homeland Security travel advisory map, travel conditions still may not be safe for driving. The IDHS County Travel Status Map can be found at www.in.gov/dhs/traveladvisory/. Do NOT call local dispatch for road information.

Drivers are strongly urged to evaluate travel routes through information found through INDOT’s TrafficWise Traveler Information Service website www.trafficwise.in.gov.

Although temperatures today are expected to rise, they will not get above freezing so salt and other anti-icing chemicals to remove ice and snow are virtually ineffective meaning travel will remain hazardous. Today’s high temperatures will approach 30 degrees, but look for above freezing temperatures by Friday and even a chance for rain on Saturday.

On Monday, Gov. Mike Pence signed an executive order declaring a state of disaster emergency for 29 Indiana counties. Those are: Clinton, Delaware, Elkhart, Fulton, Grant, Howard, Jasper, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Lake, LaPorte, Madison, Marshall, Montgomery, Newton, Noble, Porter, Pulaski, Rush, St. Joseph, Starke, Steuben, Sullivan, Tipton, Vermillion, Vigo, Wabash, White and Whitley.