The risk of wind chills well below zero early Monday has prompted several area school districts to make schedule adjustments for morning classes.
Districts in Lyon, Coffey, Greenwood, Morris and Osage counties are among several districts across Kansas to delay the start of school two hours. Those decisions come in light of wind chills expected to approach -15 in Lyon and Greenwood counties. Wind chills could be down to -20 in Chase, Morris and Wabaunsee counties early Monday.
Current wind chill advisory times:
*Lyon, Morris, Osage, Wabaunsee counties: 9 pm Sunday to 10 am Monday
*Chase County: Through 9 am Monday
Click here for the current KVOE.com Closings and Cancellations list.
Stay with KVOE and KVOE.com for updates. If you have scheduled adjustments, call KVOE at 342-1400 or email kvoe@kvoe.com.
3 pm Sunday: Emporia travel improving, while drifting returns outside town; wind chill advisory now affects Lyon, Osage counties
Travel conditions are improving in Emporia — at least on well-traveled roads — after light to moderate snow and gusty winds overnight.
Major arterials and residential collector streets have been plowed several times an are seasonal to partly snowpacked as of mid-afternoon Sunday. Residential streets and intersections are almost universally snowpacked.
Lyon County road crews took a short break late Sunday morning and have been called out to clear roads as drifting has increased.
Drifting may continue through Sunday after 2-5 inches of snow before sunrise Sunday. Northerly winds of 15-30 mph may continue through the afternoon before subsiding.
Wind chill advisories now cover most of the KVOE listening area. Lyon and Osage counties are now in an advisory from 9 pm Sunday until 10 am Monday. The advisory affecting Morris and Wabaunsee counties now runs from 9 pm Sunday to 10 am Monday. Chase County is currently in an advisory until 9 am Monday.
Noon Sunday: Drifting not as widespread as first feared, but drivers are still advised to stay off roads Sunday
Snowfall is over, but local authorities are still telling you to stay home if you can — or be extremely cautious if you have to go somewhere.
The reason is the combination of 4-5 inches of snowfall and blustery north winds up to 30 or even 35 mph. Blowing and drifting has been a travel issue ever since the snow began falling early Sunday morning. Here’s Assistant County Engineer Jim Brull:
City, county and KDOT crews have been out all morning, and Brull says conditions so far have actually been a bit better than expected, especially north of Emporia. He says Assistant Road Supervisor Seth Snyder found the drifting was not as widespread as first feared.
South of Emporia, drifting is more commonplace. Major highways, both areawide and statewide, remain partly to completely snowpacked.
Click here to find the latest schedule adjustments.
Snow totals will be difficult to gauge due to the blowing and drifting conditions, but current estimates are as follows:
*KVOE studios: 4.5 inches
*Emporia Country Club: 4-5 inches
*Ninth and Burns: 5 inches
*Lake Kahola: 2 inches
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates.
5:30 am Sunday: Road conditions ‘terrible’ as snow, wind continue
Snowfall totals may vary across the KVOE listening area as our latest winter storm continues, but one thing is a constant: the road conditions.
Lyon County Deputy Danny Broyles says city, county and KDOT crews have been working hard all night and now past sunrise. Unfortunately, the combination of moderate to heavy snow and gusty northerly winds has caused a lot of repeat trips.
Areawide, the same story applies. Major highways, both areawide and statewide, are partly to completely snowpacked.
Travel is strongly discouraged except for absolute necessities until further notice.
Winter storm warnings continue almost areawide until noon. Wabaunsee County is the exception, but residents there are in a winter weather advisory until noon.
Biting cold is expected Sunday and early Monday morning, so Chase County is in a wind chill advisory from noon Sunday to 9 am Monday while Morris and Wabaunsee counties are in an advisory from 11 pm Sunday to 10 am Monday. Wind chills could reach -20 in those counties and approach -15 for the rest of the KVOE listening area, including Lyon County.
We’ll keep you posted on KVOE and KVOE.com. Make sure to sign up for instant weather, travel and schedule adjustment alerts through Twitter@kvoeam1400 or Facebook@kvoenews if you have not already done so. If you have schedule adjustments to report, call KVOE at 342-1400 or email kvoe@kvoe.com. If you have snow photos, email kvoe@kvoe.com or message the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
Click here for Saturday’s KVOE News coverage.
Photos by Chuck Samples/KVOE News
{gallery}Snow March 3 2019{/gallery}
Photo by Sara Hernandez
Photo by Jana Phillips
Photo by Diane O’Mara
