Snowstorm to hit Kansas later than expected. Bitter cold to follow in Topeka

[Pelican Press 0]

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Snowstorm to hit Kansas later than expected. Bitter cold to follow in Topeka

Very cold air is expected to enter north-central, northeast and east-central Kansas early Thursday in the wake of a winter storm expected to bring the area 4 to 7 inches of dry, fluffy snow between late Tuesday and late Wednesday, forecasters cautioned.

Forecasters predicted Topeka would see 4 to 6 inches.

Wind chill indices Thursday morning are expected to range from minus 5 to minus 15 degrees in the area involved, the National Weather Service’s Topeka office said Tuesday morning in a graphic posted on its website.

“Cover exposed skin if outside as frostbite can set in within 30 minutes,” that graphic said.

While forecasters had predicted the storm would be preceded late Monday and Tuesday morning by snowfall totaling as much as an inch in the same area, the weather service said Topeka hadn’t seen any snow as of Thursday afternoon.

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/KTWX_loop.gif

Storm now expected to arrive later than initially thought

The weather service on Monday issued a winter storm warning lasting until 6 p.m. Wednesday for most of north-central, northeast and east-central Kansas, then expanded that early Wednesday to also include some counties southeast of Interstate 35.

In addition, forecasters adjusted their predictions regarding the timing of the storm, which they had initially anticipated would reach most of the area involved by 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Snow is now expected to reach Concordia and Manhattan by 9 p.m. Tuesday and Topeka, Lawrence, Hiawatha and Emporia by Midnight, said a graphic posted on the website of the weather service’s Topeka office.

Kansas Judicial Center, state office buildings in Topeka to be closed

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced Tuesday that state office buildings in Topeka would be closed Wednesday dur to the weather.

The Kansas Judicial Center announced it would be closed, though employees would work remotely.

Kelly issued an oral, pre-emptive state of disaster declaration Sunday in preparation for the anticipated storm.

“The declaration allows resources to be used to provide state assistance, specifically the waiver of hours of service for propane providers,” the governor’s office said in a news release.

Kelly encouraged Kansans to prepare for the storm by creating an emergency plan and home emergency kit.

The National Weather Service’s Topeka office early Tuesday posted on its website this graphic showing, in pink, the areas covered by a winter storm warning lasting until 6 p.m. Wednesday.

When will the storm peak?

Forecasters on Tuesday evening adjusted their prediction for how much snow will fall, lowering the anticipated amount from 5 to 9 inches to 4 to 8 inches.

Snowfall is expected to peak between Midnight Tuesday and 9 a.m. Wednesday, then continue through late Wednesday afternoon, the weather service said.

“Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous,” it said. “Travel could be very difficult.”

Falling snow could also bring reduced visibility, forecasters said.

How much snow is expected?

The weather service predicted snowfall totals would be as follow:

6 to 8 inches at Concordia, Marysville, Manhattan, Holton and Hiawatha.

6 inches at Salina and at St. Joseph, Missouri.

4 to 6 inches at Topeka, Emporia, Ottawa, and Kansas City, Missouri.

“Winds are not expected to be overly strong with gusts of 20 to 25 mph as snow is falling,” the weather service said. “This could still lead to blowing and drifting snow given the dry and fluffy nature of the snow.”

Topeka city government prepares for snow-covered streets

A meeting scheduled to take place Wednesday evening of the board of directors of the Joint Economic Development Organization, a body of city of Topeka and Shawnee County elected officials, was rescheduled to be held Feb. 26.

The public works department for Topeka’s city government had been pretreating streets in preparation for the storm, said Daniel Garrett, the city’s director of communications.

“As weather conditions change, crews will adapt treatment as necessary,” he said.

Once snow starts falling in Topeka, road crews will make it a priority to clear off arterial and collector streets, Garrett said.

“The decision as to whether crews will work to treat residential streets will be made based on the total amount of snowfall that we receive,” he said. “In anticipation of the possibility of significant snowfall, the city asks residents to park off the street where possible.”

Storm prompts opening of warming centers, shortening of meeting

Topeka Rescue Mission Ministries announced Monday afternoon it would team up with Fellowship Hi-Crest beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday to offer warming centers for the public at 601 N.W. Harrison and 455 S.E. Golf Park Blvd.

The Kansas State Board of Education, which had planned to hold a two-day meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday, announced Monday that the anticipated winter storm had prompted it to decide to meet for one day only, on Tuesday.

“The agenda item regarding action on the removal of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) from graduation requirements, scheduled for Wednesday, will be moved to the board’s March agenda,” the announcement said. “Members are expected to take up the rest of Wednesday’s agenda items on Tuesday.”

Contact Tim Hrenchir at *****@*****.tld or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal:

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

#Snowstorm #hit #Kansas #expected #Bitter #cold #follow #Topeka

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up