Winter Storm

Travelers heading west are warned that roadblocks are ahead.  The Kansas Department of Transportation moved the I-70 closure further east as the day went on, because it leads right into the first winter storm of the season. At the rest area near Ellsworth, Chad Teats and his family stopped to figure out what to do.  Their trip from Fort Riley to Colorado Springs just got a little more complicated. "We knew the storm was coming, but we didn't know the roads were going to be closed," Teats says.  "We're just going to have to re-route and see if there's a safer route.

Wichita city crews are preparing to hit the streets as the winter storm approaches. Aaron Henning, city maintenance engineer, said he expects workers to head out sometime Saturday morning to treat Wichita roads. About 60 trucks are ready to roll. "When there's rain in the forecast, or there's a good chance of rain preceding snow, we try not to pre-treat because of the chance that it's just going to all wash away with the rain," Henning said. "We want to make the most of that material and the time that we spend to apply it. " Henning said he does not expect road conditions to be too treacherous, as long as the temperatures stay above freezing.

State leaders compliment the work of emergency responders and road crews for their response to this week's winter storm. Officials say three deaths are being investigated as possibly being weather related. Governor Sam Brownback said Friday that agencies will spend the next week compiling a list of any weather-related damages to public buildings and roads to determine if the state qualifies for a federal disaster declaration. Kansas Response to the winter storm: State disaster declaration for 53 counties Local disaster declarations for 23 counties $1.6 Million in estimated costs for the Kansas Department of Transportation 1,250 KDOT snow plow operators and support workers used 600 plows and worked 12-hour shifts to log 30,000 hours and plow 21,000 miles.

A winter storm is taking aim at Kansas for Sunday and Monday. Significant snowfall is likely for parts of the state and travel will likely be hazardous by Monday around the area. Clouds will increase tonight and other than a flurry or two in northwest Kansas, the state should be dry. Temperatures will struggle to reach the freezing mark on Sunday as the clouds continue to thicken. Some patchy freezing drizzle is possible in far western Kansas Sunday afternoon, but ice accumulation is not expected.

Highly doubtful that students thought about reading and math during their four day snow break. "If kids are like what I was like as a kid, I doubt very seriously they were thinking about the state assessment during that time," said Cory Gibson, Valley Center Superintendent. But they had to switch mindsets fast. "What we share with our staff and our students is just do the best you can and let the cards fall where they may," Gibson said. "Then we'll adjust as we need to going forward.

The winter storm that brought freezing rain, ice and some snow to Kansas will continue to spin away from our region Thursday. A few flurries will linger early in the day and temps will be bitter cold to start Thursday but conditions will be improving by afternoon. Thursday afternoon will bring a mix of clouds and sun. Our wind will stay out of the northwest but will not be as strong as the last few days. Highs will climb into the low to mid-40s for most of Kansas but the southwest will likely see low to mid 50s. Friday morning will bring lows in the 20s to around 30 again and threaten tender plants that may already be in the ground so cover them up if you can. A warming trend will get us back into the 60s and 70s this weekend and we will stay dry until Sunday night.

Official snowfall reported at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport was 5.3 inches.  It will be cold with gusty north winds putting wind chills in the single digits and teens most of the day.  Sun has returned, but wind continues.  Highs will be in the 20s and lower 30s statewide .  A few flurries are possible in northwest Kansas, otherwise partly cloudy skies and bitter cold temperatures for late March.  Lows will drop into the single digits...

Winter weather in March with heavy snow and blowing snow expected to continue across parts of Kansas today.  A late season winter storm has arrived this morning with over 8" of snow being reported on the ground in Goodland.  This system continues to evolve as it moves out of the Rockies into the Plains today.  Across the northern half of the state this system will remain a snow maker, while in the south rain will develop and change to snow.  Heaviest...

Workers at Ace Hardware spent the day putting out winter storm supplies. Most of it went into a backroom about two weeks ago, but it is now in high demand. "People have been calling to make sure we have this stuff in stock," Kenneth Curiel, employee, said. "Last time they ran out so we ordered some early this time," Aaron Patterson, customer, said. Store employees say the more scrappers, ice melt, and shovels the store sells, the better, because right now the lower the temperature, the fewer the dollars.

This afternoon will be dry with some peeks of sunshine developing. Highs could reach the lower-50s over the southwest with mid and upper-40s expected elsewhere. Our winds will shift to the east and should be a bit lighter than they were Thursday. Friday night a powerful winter storm will move closer to Kansas. Look for rain to develop Friday night then change to snow over northwest Kansas by early Saturday morning. The winter storm will move through our area Saturday and early Sunday bringing most of Kansas rain early Saturday morning, changing to all snow by afternoon.

Wichita city crews are preparing to hit the streets as the winter storm approaches. Aaron Henning, city maintenance engineer, said he expects workers to head out sometime Saturday morning to treat Wichita roads. About 60 trucks are ready to roll. "When there's rain in the forecast, or there's a good chance of rain preceding snow, we try not to pre-treat because of the chance that it's just going to all wash away with the rain," Henning said. "We want to make the most of that material and the time that we spend to apply it. " Henning said he does not expect road conditions to be too treacherous, as long as the temperatures stay above freezing.

Showers and storms have developed over southwestern Kansas.  This activity is expected to move northeast and into the Wichita area after Midnight.  Lows overnight will drop to the 40s and 50s. For Saturday, we expect some morning showers and storms over central and eastern Kansas.  This activity will move away from the region but more isolated showers and storms could pop up in the afternoon over this same area.  Highs will be in the...

Highly doubtful that students thought about reading and math during their four day snow break. "If kids are like what I was like as a kid, I doubt very seriously they were thinking about the state assessment during that time," said Cory Gibson, Valley Center Superintendent. But they had to switch mindsets fast. "What we share with our staff and our students is just do the best you can and let the cards fall where they may," Gibson said. "Then we'll adjust as we need to going forward.