A robust winter storm that brought about blizzard situations in components of the Plains and Higher Midwest has lastly moved out of the area, however not earlier than blasting the area with heavy snow and excessive winds that led to whiteout situations and treacherous journey.
The blizzard quickly strengthened because it moved throughout the area on Wednesday, pulling in widespread snow and damaging winds on the bottom of the low-pressure system.
The Kansas Division of Transportation closed a number of roads and highways throughout the state on Wednesday, together with Interstate 70, as a consequence of deteriorating situations.
The freeway has since been reopened.
The identical passed off to the north in Nebraska, with the state’s Division of Transportation saying the reopening of Interstate 80 after it was closed through the storm.
Officers throughout the area had urged folks to remain off the roads and keep dwelling through the storm. Nonetheless, quite a few crashes had been reported in Nebraska and Kansas.
The Nebraska State Patrol stated a trooper’s car was severely broken when one other car crashed into it on Wednesday.
Officers stated the trooper was serving to one other driver south of Fremont when the incident occurred. Fortunately, the trooper was not within the cruiser on the time and was not injured.
Crashes had been additionally reported in Kansas, with the state’s Freeway Patrol reporting accidents in crashes that passed off in a number of areas. A type of accidents occurred when sturdy winds brought about a tractor-trailer to overturn on I-70 east of Salina.
FOX Climate Meteorologist Jane Minar has been in Sioux Metropolis, Iowa, and was pelted by heavy, moist snow and robust winds.
“It really doesn’t matter how much snow you’re going to get,” she stated Wednesday. “These winds are so strong that even as the snow falls, you know, it’s going to be blowing around, reducing visibility.”
Minar famous that crews had been busy working to put together roads forward of the winter climate, however regardless of these efforts, snow coated space roads and highways.
“Unfortunately, the grim reality is that it is a dangerous commute,” Minar continued. “And this is going to stay with us all day long.”
