Blizzard with ‘exceptionally dangerous’ conditions expected to hit late tonight
UPDATE (11:45 a.m.)
*A very powerful winter storm system will lift through the central Plains tonight into Tuesday, bringing dangerous winter storm conditions across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.
Blizzard or near-blizzard conditions will occur mainly along or just north of Interstate 80, with snow amounts ranging anywhere from 9 to 15 inches, according to the National Weather Service office in Valley.
Officials with the Omaha Public Schools are discussing the impending storm and an announcement regarding whether classes will be held Tuesday could come as soon as early afternoon, a spokeswoman said.
This major winter storm will have a huge impact on the region, with travel difficult if not impossible tonight into Tuesday.
*The weather service issued a winter storm warning for midnight through 4 a.m. Wednesday for three counties west of Beatrice to the northwest through Lincoln into the Omaha-Council Bluffs area and western Iowa. Included in the warning was an area north and northwest of Grand Island around Burwell.
*A blizzard warning was in effect for midnight through 4 a.m. Wednesday for a swath southwest of the Grand Island-Hastings-Kearney area to the northwest through Columbus, Norfolk and South Sioux City into northwest Iowa.
*A blizzard watch was issued for late tonight through late Tuesday night for northeast Nebraska north of Norfolk into southeast South Dakota.
*A winter weather advisory was in effect for 3 a.m. Tuesday through 4 a.m. Wednesday for southeast Nebraska, including Beatrice and Nebraska City, and north-central Nebraska.
*The weather service said there is a high likelihood of 8 inches of snow or more tonight and Tuesday for a swath from north-central Kansas to the northwest through Hastings, Superior, Grand Island, York, Lincoln and the Omaha-Council Bluffs area.
*Early today, snow had already begun to fall in western Nebraska, according to the weather service. Roadways were partially covered in the Imperial and Ogallala areas, and roads, including Interstate 80, were completely covered in the southern Panhandle, including the Sidney area. Read more: