The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Stafford, Pawnee and Rush counties and other counties south and west of Barton County from 6 a.m. Wednesday to 6 p.m. Thursday.
A low pressure system will shift winter precipitation from New Mexico into a cold Kansas air mass Wednesday.
“This will be the most significant winter storm we’ve seen,” said Mike Umscheid, Dodge City meteorologist. “It will impact western Kansas Wednesday into Thursday. We expect more snow than what we first expected. We expect substantial snow. It will change quickly into all snow Wednesday night.”
The latest forecast is between 8 and 12 inches of snow can be expected north of Garden City, Dodge City and Larned. Four to eight inches of snow is expected across much of Kansas.
A freezing rain threat is forecast for southwest and southcentral Kansas from Meade to Coldwater and Pratt to Medicine Lodge. Although significant amounts of ice appear unlikely, some ice could accumulate on trees and power lines and possibly even on road surfaces depending on exact temperatures.
“A mixed phase precipitation event is expected from Dodge City to Larned and points south, where sleet, freezing rain will be possible along with accumulating snow,” Umscheid said.
Small amounts of freezing drizzle can cause slick sidewalks and roads depending on the temperature of the pavement. Freezing drizzle could lead to slick spots on roads as early as 6 a.m. Wednesday.
Southeast winds at 20 to 30 mph will accompany the freezing rain, sleet and snow. This will cause blowing and drifting of snow particularly along and north of a line from Scott City to Ness City to La Crosse Wednesday night and early Thursday.
A winter storm warning for heavy snow means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring.
Significant amounts of snow are forecast, which will make travel dangerous.
If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.
Some light snow or mixed snow, sleet, and freezing drizzle will begin to move into parts of southwest and south central Kansas from 4 to 6 a.m. Wednesday. The area is generally south of line from Syracuse