Local officials are confident the first snowfall of the season will not lead to any long-term travel impacts.
According to Emporia Public Works Director Dean Grant, the amount of salt put down, coupled with the light dusting of snowfall on Monday, should be enough to limit the potential for any refreezing in the overnight hours into Tuesday.
Snowfall fell from the early morning hours to the mid-afternoon, leading to a mix of partially to fully covered roads in and around Emporia. The majority of roadways were cleared relatively quickly and did not see much accumulation past the afternoon hour.
This was a welcome development for Assistant Lyon County Engineer Jim Brull, who says it is always best when crews can get clearing done during normal business hours rather than having to run around the clock this time of year.
While Grant and Brull are confident that refreezing won’t be a widespread issue overnight, it will be possible in some areas with overnight temperatures set to drop below 20 degrees so drivers will need to exercise caution.
As of 4 pm, the following roadways were seeing seasonable driving conditions in and around Emporia:
Reports of icy spots:
Interstate 35 from Emporia to Neosho Rapids
US Highway 77 from Florence to Burns
Kansas Highway 177 from Council Grove to Matfield Green
US Highway 56 from Burlingame to Osage City
Kansas Highway 170 from Osage City to Reading
Partially covered roads:
Interstate 35 from Neosho Rapids east
Kansas Highway 130 from Neosho Rapids to Hartford
Kansas Turnpike from Emporia Tollgate to Admire
Kansas Highway 99 from Emporia to Admire
US Highway 56 from Admire to Miller
As a result of those overnight lows, the city of Emporia has announced the activation of local warming centers.
Warming locations are as follows:
Emporia Police Department:
The entryway is open 24/7 to those in need of shelter from severe cold temperatures.
Pets are welcome if controlled by the owner.
Lyon County Sheriff’s Office:
Lobby open 24/7 to those in need of shelter from severe cold temperatures. Pets are welcome if controlled by the owner.
Emporia Public Library (110 E 6th Avenue)
Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Bloom House Youth Services (301 West 11th Avenue)
Basic Center Program, which serves TEENS and their families, can serve as a warming center for teens and their families in this area. Please note: As this is a shelter for teens under 18, individual adults stopping in for the warming center during the winter weather emergency must not stay more than necessary for warming. They will be offered a hot beverage and the ability to use the restroom. Pets are welcome if controlled by their owners. Dogs must be on leashes at all times and well-behaved around cats.
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for more weather updates as they become available.
10:42 am Monday
Light snowfall continues areawide for the next few hours.
Up to 3 inches of snowfall are expected areawide through mid-afternoon, with up to 2 inches of snow in Emporia. Winter weather advisories continue through 6 pm areawide.
Area highways have had some impact from the light snowfall as of 10 am. Completely covered highways include:
*US Highway 56 east of Admire
*US Highway 75 north of Lyndon
*Kansas Highway 99 north of Admire
*Kansas Highway 177 from Strong City to Cassoday
Partly covered highways include:
*Kansas Turnpike northeast of Emporia
*Interstate 35 east of Emporia
*US Highway 50 from Emporia to Saffordville
*US Highway 56 west of Council Grove
*US Highway 75 from K-58 to Interstate 35
*Kansas Highway 99 from Lyon-greenwood county line to Admire
*Kansas Highway 130
*Kansas Highway 170 from K-99 to Reading
Emporia, Lyon County and Kansas Department of Transportation road crews are out treating streets, roads and highways at this time. For the city of Emporia, crews will treat streets up to 3 inches of accumulation and will plow after that. Public Works Director Dean Grant says the city’s snow routes are virtually identical to past years, but the city is planning to clear or treat more of the heavily-traveled north-south residential streets — especially those with little to no on-street parking — so drivers can access the longer east-west residential collector streets whenever it snows. More information is available at emporiaks.gov/winterweather.
Residents needing some time in the warm can utilize several winter warming locations that have been announced:
*The Emporia Police Department lobby at 518 Mechanic and the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office lobby at 425 Mechanic are both open on a 24-7 basis. Pets are welcome at both locations if they are controlled by their owners.
*Emporia Public Library, 110 East Sixth, is open weekdays from 9 am to 6 pm and weekends from 1-5 pm.
*Bloom House Youth Services at 301 West 11th is open for teenagers. Pets are welcome if controlled; dogs must be on leashes at all times and must be well-behaved around cats.
KVOE and KVOE.com will have updates.
6:15 am Monday: Light snowfall Monday as winter weather advisories continue until 6 pm areawide
Light snow is expected across the KVOE listening area Monday.
Winter weather advisories cover all area counties until 6 pm. Here’s TV-13 meteorologist Doug Meyers:
While advisories continue until 6 pm, Meyers says snowfall should be done before 5 pm, if not sooner.
Emporia Public Works Director Dean Grant expects road crews will have to treat bridges and overpasses, based on pavement temperatures. Decisions on treating or clearing Emporia’s snow routes will be based on street temperatures, precipitation types and precipitation amounts. The city’s snow routes are virtually identical to past years, but Grant says the city is planning to clear or treat more of the heavily-traveled north-south residential streets — especially those with little to no on-street parking — so drivers can access the longer east-west residential collector streets whenever it snows.
Assistant Lyon County Engineer Jim Brull says the Highway Department will respond as needed once the snow begins.
2 pm Sunday:
Winter weather advisories have been expanded and, in some area counties, extended with our first expected snowfall of the season Monday.
Lyon, Chase, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties were originally in an advisory from 3 am to 6 pm. Coffey and Greenwood counties were initially not included. Following an update Sunday afternoon, advisory times were extended for Lyon, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties from midnight to 6 pm. Coffey County was added from midnight to 6 pm Monday as well. While Chase County maintained its original alert time, Greenwood County was added from 3 am to 6 pm.
Projected snowfall totals remain from 1-3 inches, with higher totals expected the further north you go towards Interstate 70. Isolated 4-inch totals are possible as well.
It won’t be much on the ground, but the snow expected Monday may be enough to make for hazardous travels across the KVOE listening area Monday.
Lyon County Emergency Management Director Jarrod Fell says the first snowfall of the season is always troublesome, regardless of how much snow actually falls.
Fell says society is more impatient than it was just a few years ago — which doesn’t help in winter weather situations.
Fell encourages people to have an emergency kit, just in case of problems, and a fully-charged cell phone. He also says people should be dressed appropriately for the weather.
More information is available at weather.gov/safety/winter.
7:45 am Sunday:
An early taste of winter is ahead Monday.
Lyon and several surrounding counties — Chase, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee — may see anywhere from 1-3 inches of snowfall, triggering a winter weather advisory from 3 am to 6 pm.
The timing of the snowfall means potential impact on both morning and evening commutes, both for work and school. Drivers are told to plan ahead for slippery road conditions essentially all day Monday.
Air temperatures will peak in the upper 20s, with overnight lows in the mid-teens. Winds should be light, so blowing and drifting should be minimal.
The projected snowfall Monday follows a cold rain that took place Saturday:
*KVOE studios: 0.80 inches
*Emporia Municipal Airport:
*Ninth and Lawrence: 0.70 inches
*10th and Weaver: 0.75 inches
*1100 block Constitution: 0.70 inches
*Country Club Heights: 0.75 inches
*200 block Road 340: 0.59 inches
Saturday’s winds, which at times gusted to near 50 mph, kept wind chills in the teens and 20s for most of the day and also led to several power issues. Evergy Senior Communications Manager for Media Courtney Lewis says there was unspecified equipment failure that temporarily ended power for over 130 Evergy customers in and around Emporia between 3:30-5 pm. Also, Hartford-Neosho Rapids firefighters and Evergy responded to a power pole fire that developed at Seventh and Walnut in Neosho Rapids shortly before 3:30 pm. Lewis says a ground wire burned part of the pole. Outage numbers haven’t been released.
The precipitation Saturday and Monday come from separate winter storms moving across the country. Once Monday’s winter storm clears the state, high temperatures will mostly be in the 30s and 40s, aside from highs in the upper 20s Thursday. Lows should be in the teens and 20s all week.
KVOE and KVOE.com will have updates.
