A WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM SATURDAY TO 1 PM CDT SUNDAY...FOR BARTON COUNTY, IN ADDITION TO ELLSWORTH, RUSSELL AND RICE COUNTIES AND THOSE COUNTIES WEST AND NORTH OF GREAT BEND.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM SATURDAY TO 1 PM CDT SUNDAY.
* TIMING...RAIN OR SLEET MAY MIX IN WITH SNOW EARLY SATURDAY MORNING...THEN REMAIN ALL SNOW FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...OF 4 TO 7 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE BY EARLY SUNDAY MORNING...GENERALLY NORTH OF HIGHWAY 56.
* WINDS...WILL INCREASE ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT...WITH NORTH WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH POSSIBLE. THIS WILL CAUSE REDUCED VISIBILITIES FROM BLOWING SNOW.
* IMPACTS...THE STRONG WINDS IN CONCERT WITH THE WET AND HEAVY SNOW COULD PUT STRAIN ON TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES. CONSEQUENTLY...SOME POWER OUTAGES WILL BE POSSIBLE.
A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER IS EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.
SATURDAY
Snow likely, possibly mixed with sleet after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. East wind 11 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. Total nighttime snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
SATURDAY NIGHT
Snow with areas of blowing snow before 1am, then snow likely with areas of blowing snow after 1am. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 24. Blustery, with a north wind 20 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New snow accumulation of around 2 inches.
SUNDAY
A 20 percent chance of snow before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. Breezy, with a north northwest wind20 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
