Spring storm system moves through central plains

Regional News

I-80 @ Lodgepole Thurs @ 6:31 PM, from NDOR

From the Nebraska Department of Roads @ North Platte:

If traveling in the Paxton and Ogallala area of Interstate 80 and 30, extreme caution is recommended. Heavy snow combined with blowing and drifting snow is causing heavy slush turning to snow pack. Travel is hazardous. If traveling, use extreme caution.

WEATHER SUMMARY FOR PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE 440 PM CDT THU APR 10 2008

A MAJOR SPRING STORM WILL CONTINUE IMPACTING THE REGION TONIGHT AND INTO THE DAY FRIDAY. DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS THURSDAY...A MID LEVEL LOW WAS INDICATED BY SATELLITE IMAGERY LOCATED OVER THE NEBRASKA AND KANSAS BORDER. AN AREA OF SURFACE LOW PRESSURE WAS ALSO NOTED ACROSS EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA. WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION WAS ONGOING ACROSS THE BULK OF THE REGION AS SNOW WAS FALLING ACROSS THE NORTHWESTERN ONE HALF OF THE REGION...AND SHOWERS ALONG WITH THUNDERSTORMS WERE NOTED ON RADAR EXTENDING FROM EASTERN NEBRASKA INTO THE EASTERN TWO THIRDS OF KANSAS.

SNOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE NORTHWESTERN ONE HALF OF THE REGION THROUGH THE REST OF THIS EVENING AND INTO TONIGHT...WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ACROSS THE EASTERN ONE THIRD OF KANSAS AND EXTREME EASTERN NEBRASKA THROUGH THIS EVENING...WHERE LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL THEN BE POSSIBLE FARTHER NORTHWEST ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS. FINALLY...MODERATE TO AT TIMES HEAVY SNOW WILL FALL ACROSS PORTIONS OF EASTERN COLORADO...SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING...WESTERN NEBRASKA AND PORTIONS OF NORTHWESTERN KANSAS. OVERNIGHT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS ON THE ORDER OF ONE TO THREE INCHES ARE ANTICIPATED ACROSS PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEBRASKA...WITH SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS NOT EXPECTED TO EXCEED AN INCH ELSEWHERE.

SNOW WILL OVERTAKE THE NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS DURING THE DAY FRIDAY...WITH CHANCES FOR RAIN LINGERING ACROSS SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE REGION. ANY CHANCES FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE WELL EAST OF THE REGION...BUT THE CHANCES FOR MODERATE TO OCCASIONALLY HEAVY SNOW WILL PERSIST ACROSS PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEBRASKA THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY. AN ADDITIONAL ONE TO THREE INCHES OF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS WESTERN PORTIONS OF NEBRASKA DURING THE MORNING HOURS FRIDAY...WITH ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS REMAINING UNDER AN INCH ELSEWHERE. THIS WILL BRING STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF THREE TO SIX INCHES TO SOME LOCATIONS ACROSS WESTERN NEBRASKA. IN ADDITION...STRONG NORTHWESTERLY WINDS IN THE 20 TO 30 MPH RANGE WILL ALSO BEGIN IMPACTING THE REGION BY MIDDAY FRIDAY. THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL FINALLY PUSH OUT OF THE REGION LATE FRIDAY...THUS ALLOWING PRECIPITATION AND STRONG WINDS TO COME TO AN END ACROSS ALL OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS DURING THE DAY SATURDAY.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...AS WELL AS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES ARE CURRENTLY IN EFFECT ACROSS VARIOUS PORTIONS OF THE REGION. STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL WEATHER FORECASTS FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THIS MAJOR WEATHER SYSTEM CURRENTLY IMPACTING THE REGION.