Overall, Emporia’s driving conditions improved from late morning to late afternoon following light blowing snow Friday night through much of Saturday morning.
Not surprisingly, major arterials — especially Sixth Avenue, US Highway 50 and Industrial Road — saw the most improvement after Emporia Public Works started treating streets around 10 am. Conditions for residential collector streets varied widely, from largely clear in some areas to almost totally snow-covered. Residential streets are snow-covered. Intersections are occasionally slick, especially near stoplights and stop signs.
Few issues have been reported in rural areas of Lyon County. Both Lyon County and Kansas Department of Transportation crews were out early in the event, and before sunrise County Engineer Chip Woods said the blowing snow was forcing crews to both re-treat and re-blade paved roads to keep them open. Highways are seasonal to partly covered shortly before sunset.
With the amount of melting through the afternoon, there is a chance of a refreeze until Sunday morning as temperatures drop to 15 with wind chills from zero to -5 overnight. An isolated number of local and area churches have either canceled their Sunday worship services or moved them online. Click here for our current list. To submit a schedule adjustment, whether it’s a closing, cancellation, delay or postponement, call KVOE at 620-342-1400, email kvoe@kvoe.com, message KVOE through Facebook@kvoenews or message the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates. If you haven’t already done so, get instant alerts through Facebook@kvoenews, Instagram@kvoenews and Twitter@kvoeam1400. Also, download KVOE’s free mobile app to have our weather coverage wherever you may go.
10:30 am Saturday: Current light snowfall causing travel issues across Lyon County
Light snow should be ending soon across the KVOE listening area, but travel issues have become more prevalent in Emporia since sunrise.
Light snow began shortly before 8 pm Friday and has continued off-and-on since. The last bit of light snow, which started around 7 am, hasn’t accumulated — but it has caused slick travels across town, including a non-injury slide-off wreck involving a grain semi at the US Highway 50 roundabout. Traffic will be slow through the roundabout, both for the overall travel conditions and the wreck.
Lyon County and Kansas Department of Transportation crews have been out since midnight, but Lyon County Engineer Chip Woods says his crews have had to retreat and replow paved roads essentially all day because of the blowing snow. Emporia Public Works went out shortly after 10 am after several reports of slick intersections in the west part of town.
We’ll keep you updated on KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media. Join KVOE on Facebook and Instagram, both @kvoenews, and Twitter@kvoeam1400 for instant updates as needed. Also, download the free KVOE mobile app so you have our coverage wherever you may be. If you need to announce a schedule adjustment for your organization or business, call KVOE at 620-342-1400 or email kvoe@kvoe.com.
7:20 am Saturday: With light snow ending, blowing snow and slick spots are Saturday’s main concerns; winter weather advisory end times adjusted again
Light snow should be ending soon across the KVOE listening area.
Light snow began shortly before 8 pm Friday and has continued off-and-on since. In Emporia, major arterials and residential collector streets are at close to normal speed, while residential streets are snow-covered. Across Lyon County, Deputy Doug Stump says conditions could be a lot worse than they are.
Highway conditions range from seasonal to completely covered, so check www.kandrive.org before you travel across the area Saturday. TV-13 meteorologist Thomas Schmidt reminds residents to give snowplow drivers more space as they drive, not less.
We are now expecting up to an inch of snowfall for Emporia and most of the KVOE listening area, with up to two inches possible in parts of Osage and Wabaunsee counties. Blowing snow and reduced visibility will likely be issues all day areawide, but especially in the morning with wind gusts as high as 40 mph before settling down later.
Winter weather advisories cover all area counties, but the timing for those has changed several times and they were adjusted again overnight by the National Weather Service. The current advisories include:
*Lyon, Coffey, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties until noon.
*Chase County until 3 pm.
*Greenwood County until 6 pm.
