WINTER STORM WARNING EFFECTING RENO, HARVEY, KINGMAN, PRATT, STAFFORD, SEDGWICK, HARPER AND SUMNER COUNTIES IN OUR AREA.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST MONDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.
TIMING…HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER FROM ACCUMULATING SNOW AND ICE WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS FOR LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY…AS A STRONG STORM SYSTEM IMPACTS THE REGION.
MAIN IMPACTS…SLICK ROADS AND VERY SLOW TRAVEL ARE LIKELY FOR SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY…THIS IS WHEN THE MOST HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR. DOWNED TREE BRANCHES AND POWER LINES MAY BE AN ISSUE DUE TO THE ICE AND SNOW ACCUMULATION. A COMBINATION OF FREEZING RAIN…SLEET… AND HEAVY SNOW WILL ALL BE POSSIBLE WITH SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES…AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS FROM FREEZING RAIN AROUND A QUARTER OF AN INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE. THERE IS STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY ON THE LOCATION OF THE TRANSITION BETWEEN FREEZING RAIN…SLEET AND PLACEMENT OF THE HEAVIEST SNOW.
OTHER IMPACTS…STRONG NORTH WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH WITH WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH WILL COMBINE WITH THE HEAVY SNOW…AND CREATE BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW. THE BLOWING SNOW COULD REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO AROUND A QUARTER OF A MILE OR LESS AT TIMES CREATING NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. THE STRONG NORTH WINDS WILL ALSO HAVE AN IMPACT FOR LOCATIONS THAT WITNESS ACCUMULATING ICE…WITH DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES BECOMING MORE LIKELY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER IS EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.