A blizzard warning is in effect beginning late tonight for northwest Kansas and the Kansas Department of Transportation road crews are prepared for the storm.

Road crews have been assigned to cover areas targeted to be hit by the severe storm expected by late tonight or tomorrow. Heavy snow accumulations and blizzard conditions are expected all day tomorrow, with conditions diminishing on Saturday.

“We are ready for the storm,” said Joe Finley, KDOT Northwest District Maintenance Engineer. “We have prepared our trucks and road supplies and road crews are scheduled for around the clock. Due to the predicted rain first, crews will not be pre-treating roads.”

The National Weather Service expects the storm to be severe, with widespread blizzard conditions creating dangerous if not impossible travel conditions along I-70 and in the northwest region of the State on Friday and Saturday. Winds gusting to 50 mph are expected to produce white-out conditions. A winter storm watch is also in effect for Norton, Sheridan, Graham and Gove counties from Friday evening through Saturday afternoon, with severe weather expected in this area also. Heavy rain is expected in east central, north central and northeast Kansas on Friday, changing to sleet and snow by late Friday or early Saturday, with accumulating snow possible from Friday night to Saturday night and ending by Sunday morning.

ORIGINAL: A powerful winter storm system that could leave a dozen inches of snow behind has been forecast for Nebraska and portions of adjacent states.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for most of Nebraska, southeast Wyoming, northeast Colorado, northwest Kansas and western Iowa. A blizzard watch was issued for several counties in west-central Nebraska, starting Friday afternoon.

The service says the storm is expected to move into Nebraska late Thursday night and last into Saturday.

Rain is expected to precede the snowfall in many areas.