KVOE listeners have already been alerted — repeatedly — to the hazards connected to a winter storm set to affect the area by Wednesday night. Another component to the storm is complicating travel as we speak.
Freezing drizzle began pushing across parts of Lyon, Chase and Morris counties before 5 pm. Travel conditions have deteriorated rapidly:
*Lyon County has had reports of freezing drizzle west of Allen on US Highway 56 as well as freezing drizzle near the junction of Interstate 35 and East US Highway 50.
*Chase County reports Kansas Highway 150 is ice-covered, while US Highway and Kansas Highway 177 both are partially covered with occasionally icy bridges.
*Morris County reports slick conditions countywide with a pair of non-injury crashes as of 5 pm.
Road crews with the Kansas Department of Transportation are currently out as the freezing drizzle pushes east.
The combination of snow, plunging temperatures and increasing northerly winds is still several hours away. Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates.
12:45 pm Wednesday: Snow totals may be light, but impacts from incoming winter storm could be significant
Despite lighter snowfall totals than first expected, authorities and meteorologists continue urging residents to do what they can to avoid being out in the area’s first major winter storm of the season.
Wednesday night’s low will be around -5, with wind chills near -20. With up to three inches of snow falling, blowing and drifting for much of Thursday, highs will struggle to get above zero before falling to -7 — and wind chill values may not get above -20 during the daylight hours before dipping under -30 after sunset. Friday will still be cold and windy with highs around 10. Wind chill warnings remain up areawide, with winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories also covering the area Thursday.
Because of the combination of cold, windy conditions, the city of Emporia and Lyon County have announced five warming stations — the Emporia Police Department and Lyon County Sheriff’s Office lobbies, First Congregational Church, First United Methodist Church and Twelfth Avenue Baptist Church. Lyon County Emergency Management Director Jarrod Fell says it’s a rare step, but not a unique one.
Some information has now changed with one warming station. Pets are not allowed at the Twelfth Avenue Baptist Church west building — no longer the south main hall. Hours are 9 am to 5 pm both Thursday and Friday.
The Emporia Police Department and Lyon County Sheriff’s Office lobbies are welcoming pets if they can be controlled by their owners. So is First Congregational Church. Pets will not be allowed at First United Methodist Church.
Fell says the decision to open up warming stations followed conversations at the state level, and local officials are poised to add more warming stations if needed.
Both Emporia Public Works and the Lyon County Highway Department are stocked with treatment and clearing materials, but department heads are worried about the prospect of repeated clearing efforts with blowing and drifting likely for hours. Assistant County Engineer Jim Brull says this could be aggravating for county residents.
Local residents have been stocking up ahead of the brutal cold. At Good’s Cash Saver, Manager Gary Andrews says residents started coming in Tuesday, both to stock up for the cold and to get food for Christmas.
Waters Hardware Manager Lucas Hockenbury says more pipe heating equipment is going out this week than it has in the past.
Bluestem Farm and Ranch Manager Brian Wendling says the store is ready, both for those needing last-minute weather items and those needing Christmas presents.
Livestock care is a concern, given the combination of conditions. Preparations typically involve feed, water and shelter for the animals. For humans, Lyon County Extension ag agent Brian Rees says the overall situation is much better now than it was 40 or 50 years ago.
Speaking of warmth, residents in and around Melvern lost power before 10:45 am. Close to 170 Evergy customers were impacted until power was restored before noon. A cause has not been determined.
Schedule adjustments became more commonplace as the day wore on Tuesday. Click here for the latest list, courtesy of Bluestem Farm and Ranch Supply.
If you have schedule adjustments to report, whether they are closings, cancellations, postponements or delays, call KVOE at 620-342-1400, email kvoe@kvoe.com or message the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
Be sure to stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates this week. If you haven’t joined KVOE’s social media channels — Facebook and Instagram, both @kvoenews, and Twitter@kvoeam1400 — this would be a good time to do so for immediate information about weather and travel conditions, schedule adjustments and preparation tips.
6:30 am Wednesday: Projected snow totals down slightly, but travel impacts still expected to be high
The forecast remains on track for a major winter storm to hammer the KVOE listening area — beginning as soon as Wednesday night.
Conditions will start going downhill after sunset, but the core of the storm — the combination of snow, rapidly cooling temperatures and high north winds — will wait until very early Thursday. For snow totals, TV-13 meteorologist Doug Meyers expects 1-3 inches areawide.
Wednesday night’s low will be around -5, with wind chills near -20. With snow falling, blowing and drifting for much of Thursday, highs will struggle to get above zero before falling to -7 — and wind chill values may not get above -20 during the daylight hours before dipping under -30 after sunset. Friday will still be cold and windy with highs around 10.
Winter storm watches have been replaced areawide, Lyon, Coffey, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties are now in a winter storm warning from 6 pm Wednesday to 12 am Friday, while Chase and Greenwood counties are in a winter weather advisory from 12 am to 6 pm Thursday. Wind chill warnings remain up for all area counties.
With brutal winter conditions expected Thursday and Friday, the city of Emporia and Lyon County have announced several warming center locations:
*The Emporia Police Department and Lyon County Law Enforcement lobbies will be two of the locations. Pets will be welcome if the owner can control them.
*First Congregational Church, 326 West 12th, will be open from 9 am to noon Thursday and 9 am to 12:30 pm Friday. Again, pets are allowed if controlled by their owners.
*First United Methodist, 823 Merchant, will be open from 8 am to 5 pm Thursday and 8 am to 4:30 pm Friday. Pets will not be allowed.
*The south main building at Twelfth Avenue Baptist Church, 2023 West 12th, will be available from 9 am to 5 pm Thursday and Friday. Pets are welcome if they can be controlled. Cats specifically must be in carriers.
Separately, the Sheriff’s Office says residents who may get stuck in snow drifts need to call the Lyon County Emergency Communications non-emergency line at 620-343-4225 for assistance. Residents will need to provide location, contact information and any arrangements to be picked up if that applies. Vehicles left in roads are considered traffic hazards and will be towed at owner expense.
The Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with Lyon County Public Safety Partners, has officially discouraged travel unless absolutely necessary.
