Travel should be OK for most of the rest of Friday.
As for Saturday and Sunday, that’s another story.
Meteorologists, emergency responders and law enforcement officials are urging people to avoid travel once the snow begins flying in earnest by late Friday night or early Saturday morning. Also, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has issued a state of disaster emergency statewide due to the winter storm. This is important because it lets the state shift resources into areas of need while also waiving certain transportation rules and regulations, including hours of service for fuel and propane drivers.
Regardless of whether it’s light and powdery, as expected this weekend, or heavy and wet, Lyon County Undersheriff John Koelsch says snow will cause travel problems just by itself.
Expanding on a KVOE News interview with Assistant County Engineer Jim Brull this week, Koelsch urges people to be safe and courteous around road crews.
Koelsch is also asking drivers to show similar patience if law enforcement and emergency responders are at wreck sites.
If you have to travel, be prepared.
Information about winter travel kits is online at ready.gov/kit.
Evergy and 4 Rivers Electric Cooperative are telling people to expect power outages, and although they may not be widespread, a basic emergency kit is a good idea. The utilities are also telling customers to charge their phones and have flashlights ready with working batteries. They are also urging residents with medical devices powered by electricity to have backup plans in place. Evergy also says it is “strategically” handling field crew numbers and it is adding staff at power plants.
Click here for KVOE’s Closings and Cancellations list.
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates. Click here for KVOE News’ prior coverage this week.
Click here for KVOE’s YouTube channel, including reports ahead of and during this winter storm.
7:15 am Friday
While moderate to heavy snowfall is still in the forecast, the early work of a major winter storm is already here.
The temperatures in the 40s and 50s earlier this week have been replaced by temperatures in the teens Friday morning, alongside wind chills in the single digits. TV-13 meteorologist Doug Meyers says the cold is here to stay, with the most severe of the cold going through the upcoming weekend.
Cold weather advisories are either underway now in Chase and Greenwood counties or begin Friday evening for Lyon and other nearby counties. Winter storm warnings, meanwhile, begin either at noon or 6 pm, depending on the county, and continue through much of Sunday. With 5-10 inches of snowfall now likely areawide, along with wind gusts up to 30 mph as the snow starts Friday afternoon and 20 mph as the snow continues Saturday, Meyers says there are several travel issues ahead.
Travel is not recommended Saturday into Sunday.
Click here for KVOE’s Closings and Cancellations list.
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates. Click here for KVOE News’ prior coverage this week.
Click here for KVOE’s YouTube channel, including reports ahead of and during this winter storm.
