UPDATE: Weather Coverage :: USD 305 Cancelled Friday

UPDATE 6:43 PM: I- 70 ALERT – At 6:30pm today, Eastbound I-70 from Exit 17 @ Goodland to Exit 249 @ Salina is NOW CLOSED. Westbound I-70 from Hays to Salina STILL CLOSED.

UPDATE 6:37 PM: Official report from National Weather Service in Wichita shows 12 inches of snowfall in Saline County, which would break a record going back to 1/18/1962.

USD 305 Is Closed Due to Weather Conditions Fri., Feb. 22.

UPDATE 3:55 PM: Kansas National Guard soldiers have been called out to patrol closed highways and rescue stranded motorists.

UPDATE 3:16 PM: At 3pm TODAY, Eastbound I-70 from Exit 54 near Colby, to Exit 249 Salina is NOW CLOSED. Westbound I-70 lanes still closed from Hays to Salina.

Kansas Natl Guard soldiers have been called out to patrol closed highways and rescue stranded motorists.#ksstorm

— KDEM (@KansasEmergency) February 21, 2013

FROM THE KANSAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT:

KDOT has announced that I-70 will be closing from Hays to Salina at 1130 this morning due to blowing and drifting snow. KHP will be assisting them in moving traffic from the road and rescuing stranded motorists.
Please, stay off the roads until this storm has completely passed.

UPDATE: Worst Snowstorms in Salina History:

Below are the top ten daily snowfall totals for the Salina, Kansas area:

Rank Value Ending Date
1 12.0 1/18/1962, 3/9/1909
3 11.8 3/16/1970
4 11.6 2/21/1971
5 11.3 3/19/1998
6 10.2 2/23/2003
7 10.0 12/23/1918
8 9.2 2/7/1980
9 8.8 2/16/1975
10 8.7 11/9/1888

The most recent snowfall total in Salina is 10 inches, with more snow expected.

UPDATE 10:39 AM: National Weather Service reporting 10.0 inches in Saline County (New Cambria)

UPDATE 10:11 AM:State officials are now saying that they do not expect to have any Federal Disaster declarations for covering costs for the storm.
UPDATE 9:34 AM: Official snowfall report for Lindsborg: 6 inches
UPDATE 9:16 AM: Again, in the rare case that you missed it, the roads are in very poor condition and many businesses are closed. If you don’t need to be out, you are urged everyone to stay home.
UPDATE 8:33 AM: K111, from NCL KANOPOLIS to JCT.K111/K156, is closed in Ellsworth County.

UPDATE: Official report is that Salina area had 5 inches of snow at 6:20. We’ve received unconfirmed reports from 8-12 inches.
TRAVEL UPDATE: All KS hwys across the state r now primarily COMPLETELY snowpacked.

UPDATE 7:36 AM: Hotels are full to the west in Oakley, WaKeeney, and Ellis. I-70 expected to close soon.

UPDATE 6:31 AM: 4-6 inch estimate so far, in Salina. National Weather Service projecting another 6-8 inches could fall today. 14 inches of snow in Hutchinson, 10 inches in Wichita.

Update 5:43 AM: KDOT encourages drivers if u don’t have to commute today: stay home & stay safe! Snow has moved at a heavy rate, visibility is limited.

Update 5:34 AM: 5.5 inches of snow reported in McPherson

UPDATE 4:30 AM: “Thundersnow” reported in Salina area.

Cancellations:

Salina Senior Center, Saline County Commission on Aging, Sunflower Adult Daycare closed Friday.
Choices Network Salina Closed Friday
USD 305 Salina will not have school Friday.
USD 306 SES will not have school Friday.
USD 298 Lincoln closed Friday.
USD 327 Ellsworth…No School Friday
USD 307 Ell-Saline closed Friday.
USD 393 Solomon closed Friday.
USD 444 Little River closed Friday.
USD 240 Twin Valley closed Friday.
USD 305 will NOT have school Thursday
American Legion closed this evening.
Great Plains Manufacturing – no 2nd or 3rd shift today.
Martinellis is closed Thursday.
YMCA closing at 10 am Thursday.
Tucson’s Steakhouse is closed Thursday.
Central Mall closed Thursday.
All Mokas locations are closed.
Great Plans Credit Union closed.
Rolling Hills Refuge closed.
Salina Public Library Closed Thursday.
USD 307 Ell-Saline No School Thursday.
Ellsworth Child Care Center opens 2 hours late at 8:30am Thursday.
Choices Network Salina Closed Thursday.
USD 306 Southeast of Saline No School Thursday.
Kansas Wesleyan University No classes Thursday.
The Saline County Commission on Aging and its Salina Senior Center and Sunflower Adult Day Services facilities will be closed on Thursday (February 21) because of the nasty winter weather that is expected to hit Salina over night. We will make a determination late Thursday afternoon about whether we will be open on Friday (February 22).

The movie Casablanca will not be showing Thursday night, Feb. 21 at the Stiefel Theatre. It will be rescheduled for April 4th.

State of Kansas offices statewide will be closed Thursday. KHP dispatch will still answer, officers will still be on the road. *47 (*HP) for dispatch.
Sacred Heart Salina No school Thursday.
Kansas Wesleyan University No evening classes Wednesday evening.
Salina Public Library will close at 6:00pm Wednesday evening.
The Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum will be closed Thursday. On Friday, Feb. 22, the research room will reopen at 9:30 and museum at 10 a.m. Depending on snowfall amounts and road conditions, this schedule may change.
Salina Public Defender’s Office closed Thursday.
Christ the King Lutheran Church – NO MID WEEK MEAL & CLASSES OR LENTEN SERVICE PLANNED FOR TONIGHT.
“Becoming a Mom” and “Comenzando bien” prenatal group sessions at the Donna Vanier Center for today and tomorrow are cancelled.
McPherson College closed Thursday.
Salina Public Defender’s Office closed all day Thursday
K-State (Manhattan & Salina) will be closed Thursday
Salina Area Technical College will be closed as of 3PM Wednesday.
USD #473 CHAPMAN – No school Thursday.
USD 487, Herington School – No school Thursday
Big Joe Eddie’s performance at McCall Manor postponed until Sunday 3;00pm.
Ellsworth Child Care and learning Center Closing at 3:30pm Wednesday.Opening late at 8:30am Thursday.
USD 298 Lincoln Schools dismiss at 12;00pm Wednesday.
Salina Family YMCA has cancelled evening classes and activities Wednesday evening.
USD 327 Ellsworth Schools will dismiss at 12:30pm Wednesday.
The Salina Chamber of Commerce Business Protection Seminar for Thursday, has been postponed until March 6th.
The Salina Public library has cancelled it’s Wednesday Evening Yoga class, which was originally scheduled for 5:30 p.m. this evening. The class is part of our Community Learning and Skill Sharing program. A make-up class has been scheduled for 5:30 p.m. March 13 in the library’s Prescott Room.

USD 444 LITTLE RIVER EARLY DISMISSAL AT 12:30 Wednesday – LUNCH WILL BE SERVED – NO AFTERNOON PRE-K
Closed – USD 306 SE of Saline
Closed – USD 307 Ell-Saline
Closed – USD 240 Twin Valley
Closed – USD 400 Smoky Valley

Wednesday

UPDATE 10:08 PM: I-70 west of Saline County is now listed as Completely Snowpacked. I-135 south of Lindsborg is also listed as Completely Snowpacked.

UPDATE 9:37 PM: Road conditions are worsening now as snow begins to fall more heavily

UPDATE 8:43 PM: Road conditions have improved slightly but with slick spots are still being reported around the area.

UPDATE 4:39 PM: USD 305 will not have school tomorrow due to weather conditions.
UPDATE 3:26 PM: Some traffic light sensors are being affected by the weather, causing traffic to backup at a few of the major intersections in Salina.

UPDATE 1:01 PM: Multiple injury accidents across Salina area.

UPDATE 11:37 AM: Pregnant female injured in hit and run accident in the 800 block of N. 3rd St.

UPDATE 11:32 AM: Single vehicle rollover accident on I-70 westbound near Niles Road.

UPDATE 11:24 AM: Possible injury accident on I-70 near Solomon.

UPDATE 11:23 AM: Multiple traffic accidents reported in the Salina area. To the west, City of Hays has issued Winter Storm Traffic Emergency. Also, a KDOT truck has been involved in an accident on I-70 in the Hays area.

UPDATE 11:18 AM: The Salina Police Department has initiated Operation Slick Streets. If you are involved in a NON-INJURY, MINOR DAMAGE accident, you can get accident paperwork from a convenience store to fill out a police report and submit it to police at the police station.
UPDATE 10:57 AM: I-70 and I-135 in the Salina area are now partly snowpacked.

UPDATE 9:36 AM: Weather has begun affecting travel along I-70 to the west. KDOT has listed I-70 west from milepost 228 (Lincoln Hill) as partly snowpacked.

UPDATE 8:00 AM: I-70 West Of Wakeeney is already snowpacked.

ORIGINAL: A major winter storm will affect the region Wednesday through Thursday, with the heaviest precipitation likely occurring Wednesday night through Thursday morning.

Heavy snow is likely over generally the northern half of Kansas, Nebraska and northern Missouri. Further south over generally the southern halves of Kansas and Missouri, northern Oklahoma and Arkansas, potentially significant ice and sleet accumulations will be possible.

Travel is strongly discouraged Wednesday night and Thursday.