A massive snowstorm in the US midsection, bringing over six inches of snow and strong winds, caused whiteout conditions, leading to the closure of parts of two highways and the shutdown of schools and government offices in several states on Tuesday.
A wide region spanning from southeastern Colorado to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, including western Kansas, eastern Nebraska, significant parts of Iowa, northern Missouri, and northwestern Illinois, may experience up to 12 inches (20 to 30 centimeters) of snow, as predicted by Bob Oravec, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland.
On Monday, Athol, Kansas, received almost 8 inches (19 centimeters) of snow, and the weather service office in Lincoln, Nebraska, anticipated a potential additional 3-5 inches (8-13 centimeters) overnight, with the possibility of winds gusting up to 40 mph (64 kph).
Central Nebraska experienced whiteout conditions that led to the closure of a significant section of Interstate 80, and in Kansas, Interstate 70 was closed from Russell in the central city all the way west to the Colorado border due to hazardous travel conditions. Authorities reported that multiple vehicles slid off I-70 in the northeastern part of the state.
On Monday, federal courts in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, were closed, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers took action by increasing water flow at a Missouri River dam near Yankton on the Nebraska-South Dakota border to minimize the risk of ice jams.
In Dubuque, situated on Iowa’s eastern border with Illinois, city offices were closed on Tuesday. Additionally, schools in Cedar Rapids, eastern Iowa, were among those that also closed due to the weather conditions.
The weather has begun to impact the campaign activities for Iowa’s January 15 precinct caucuses, with snowfall expected to be followed by extremely cold temperatures, potentially dropping below zero degrees (minus 18 Celsius).
The weather conditions compelled the campaign of former President Donald Trump to cancel several planned appearances by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders and her father, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. They were scheduled to engage with Iowa voters on behalf of Trump on Monday.
Northern parts of Missouri prepared for the possibility of receiving up to a foot of snow as the weather system moved east. In response, officials in Kansas City, Missouri, announced that City Hall would be closed on Tuesday, and municipal courts would operate remotely.
Madison, Wisconsin, was placed under a winter storm warning until early Wednesday, expecting up to 9 inches (23 centimeters) of snow and winds reaching 40 mph (64 kph). To facilitate snowplowing efforts, city officials canceled garbage collection, urging residents to avoid placing trash cans along curbs.
Northwestern Illinois was also under a winter storm warning, anticipating 7 to 12 inches (18 to 30 centimeters) of snow by early Wednesday. The Chicago area and Gary, Indiana, were under winter storm advisories, with forecasts indicating the possibility of up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) of snow and wind gusts reaching up to 30 mph (48 kph). The weather service noted that snowfall rates could surpass an inch per hour on Tuesday.
The Illinois Tollway, responsible for maintaining almost 300 miles (480 kilometers) of toll roads across 12 northern Illinois counties, advised drivers to adopt a “go it slow” approach.
Disruptions reached as far south as the Oklahoma panhandle, where emergency managers in Cimmaron County recommended that citizens stay home. On Monday afternoon, over a dozen motorists were stranded due to whipping winds and blizzard conditions, causing near-zero visibility, according to Lea Lavielle, the county’s emergency management director.
“At this point in time, we are advising individuals to shelter in place the best they can,” Lavielle said.
Oravec mentioned that another storm is on the way, set to impact the Pacific Northwest and extend into the northern Rockies. Blizzard warnings have been issued for a considerable portion of the Cascade and Olympic ranges in Washington and Oregon.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Madison County from 6 a.m. Monday until noon on Tuesday. Forecast snowfall is expected to reach between 4 and 8 inches with winds gusting as high as 35 mph.
For public safety and more efficient snow removal, the City of Norfolk has declared a snow emergency effective from 7 p.m. Sunday until further notice.
No parking is allowed at all on cul-de-sacs and emergency snow routes. On residential streets, parking is allowed only on the even side of the street; however, it is strongly encouraged that citizens park off the street if possible. This allows for more efficient snow removal by city crews.
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