UPDATE.ICE STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM FRIDAY TO 6 AM CST
MONDAY…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED AN ICE STORM WARNING…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM FRIDAY TO 6 AM CST MONDAY.
THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.
* TIMING…LIGHT FREEZING RAIN WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA LATE FRIDAY NIGHT BECOMING MORE WIDESPREAD ON SATURDAY. THE HEAVIEST FREEZING RAIN IS EXPECTED SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY.
* ICE ACCUMULATIONS…OF 3/4 TO AROUND 1 INCH EXPECTED.
* MAIN IMPACTS…ICE ACCUMULATIONS MAY CAUSE DOWNED TREE LIMBS AND POWER OUTAGES. BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES MAY BECOME SLICK AND HAZARDOUS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
AN ICE STORM WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS OR IMPOSSIBLE. TRAVEL IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED. COMMERCE WILL LIKELY BE SEVERELY IMPACTED. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL…KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT…FOOD…AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. ICE ACCUMULATIONS AND WINDS WILL LIKELY LEAD TO SNAPPED POWER LINES AND FALLING TREE BRANCHES THAT ADD TO THE DANGER.
Original story:
The National Weather Service Office in Wichita is alerting residents in Central and Southeast Kansas of the possibility of a significant ice storm beginning Friday evening in southern Kansas, then the precipitation spreading to the north into Saturday and Sunday. Forecasters say ice accumulations of 1/2 to 1 inch are possible by the time the storm moves out late Sunday. The greatest ice accumulation is expected to impact areas including Hutchinson, Great Bend, Russell, Lincoln, and Salina.
In addition to concerns about ice, some portions of Southern Kansas could receive 2-3 inches of rain over the weekend.
The National Weather Service held a conference call with Emergency Management officials, law enforcement, and the media Thursday morning to discuss the upcoming winter storm.
The following audio is an overview of the amount of ice forecasted to accumulate over the weekend:
The NWS expects the freezing rain to begin late Saturday morning/early afternoon in the Salina area: