Springlike conditions, including thunderstorms, are giving way to a wintry mess across the KVOE listening area.
Storms brought occasionally heavy rain through early afternoon. A changeover to freezing drizzle is expected by sunset, if not sooner, and driving conditions will become extremely hazardous after that happens.
Current projections call for anywhere from a thin glaze of ice across much of Lyon and most neighboring counties to a quarter-inch or more of ice for northwest Lyon, Morris and Wabaunsee counties. One to five inches of snow could well fall on top of that from around midnight to mid-afternoon Saturday, and near-whiteout conditions are still possible with northerly winds as high as 35 mph.
Winter storm warnings continue for Lyon, Chase, Morris and Wabaunsee counties until 6 pm Saturday. Coffey, Greenwood and Osage counties will enter a separate warning at 6 pm which will continue until 6 pm Saturday.
City and county crews are prepared. If the forecast of a gradual change from rain to snow holds, crews will likely use treatment materials before blading as needed.
Numerous schedule adjustments have been announced. Click here for the latest list. If you have schedule adjustments to report, whether they are closings, cancellations, postponements or delays, call KVOE at 620-342-1400. You can also:
*Email kvoe@kvoe.com.
*Message Twitter@kvoeam1400 or Facebook@kvoenews.
*Message the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
Thunderstorms through the day dropped over 0.50 inches of rain at the KVOE studios. Other totals:
*Emporia Municipal Airport: 0.24 inches
*Hamilton: 2.25 inches
Non-severe thunderstorms also caused a lightning-related tree fire in the 1200 block of Santa Fe before sunrise. Further details are pending.
Make sure to stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates as the weather situation continues to unfold. Join KVOE on social media — Facebook@kvoenews and Twitter@kvoeam1400 — for instant weather, schedule adjustment and travel information. Also, download KVOE’s free mobile app to take our coverage wherever you may be.
6 am Friday: Winter storm warnings posted for Lyon, most surrounding counties; Greenwood County now in severe storm watch
Friday is starting with a good chance of rain and embedded thunderstorms, but winter storm watches and warnings await for the KVOE listening area.
The National Weather Service has issued a series of alerts for the area:
*Lyon, Chase, Morris and Wabaunsee counties are in a winter storm warning from noon Friday to 6 pm Saturday
*Coffey and Osage counties are in a winter storm warning from 6 pm Friday to 6 pm Saturday
*Greenwood County is in a severe thunderstorm watch until 2 pm, followed by a winter storm watch from 6 pm Friday to 6 pm Saturday.
The current guidance has Lyon and surrounding counties dealing with showers and storms, with a marginal to slight risk of large hail and high wind, up until mid- to late afternoon. After that, there will be a changeover from rain to freezing precipitation to snow. Residents could see up to five inches of snow and perhaps a glazing to a quarter-inch of ice underneath by the time everything ends by mid-afternoon Saturday. On top of that, winds will cause near whiteout driving conditions at times as they gust up above 30 mph. TV-13 meteorologist Doug Meyers says travel is not recommended once the changeover begins, perhaps as soon as late afternoon.
Already, the forecast has triggered some schedule adjustments. Click here for the current list.
If you have schedule adjustments to report, whether they are closings, cancellations, postponements or delays, call KVOE at 620-342-1400. You can also:
*Email kvoe@kvoe.com.
*Message Twitter@kvoeam1400 or Facebook@kvoenews.
*Message the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
Make sure to stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates as the weather situation continues to unfold. Join KVOE on social media — Facebook@kvoenews and Twitter@kvoeam1400 — for instant weather, schedule adjustment and travel information. Also, download KVOE’s free mobile app to take our coverage wherever you may be.
