Jackknifed semis during snowstorm close I-70 in western Kansas, troopers say
Update, 8 p.m.:
The Kansas Highway Patrol said I-70 is closed in western Kansas after two semis jackknifed during a snowstorm.
Trooper Tod Hileman said in a tweet that the interstate is closed in both directions between Colby and Goodland.
“The weather is not getting any better out west, so if you are traveling, please find a place to stay for the night,” he said.
Original story:
Spots of central Kansas could see 3 inches of snow during a storm early Wednesday evening that’s expected to go into the night, a National Weather Service advisory said.
Wednesday’s forecast for Wichita shows the chances of snowfall starting at around 7 p.m. and continuing until 6 a.m. on Thursday. The highest chance of snow is 78% at around 2 a.m. In Wichita, the temperature is expected to reach a high in the mid-40s Wednesday afternoon before falling overnight. Temperatures will drop to a low of around 26 degrees at around 6 a.m. Thursday before starting to inch back up.
For the region, a hazardous weather outlook from Wednesday morning predicts that: “Snowfall amounts between one and two inches are likely, with the greatest amounts south of a line from Great Bend to McPherson and north of a line from Kingman to Wichita.” The snow is expected to move into the area and spread south.
In the outlook, forecasters at the NWS’s Wichita office said: “Snowfall amounts between one and two inches are likely, with the greatest amounts south of a line from Great Bend to McPherson and north of a line from Kingman to Wichita.” The snow is expected to move into the area and spread south.
“Flurries may linger near the Oklahoma border in southeast Kansas Thursday morning,” the advisory said.
The advisory said 3 inches of snow are possible in isolated areas. The record for snowfall measured at the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport for Feb. 19 was 3.5 inches in 1902.
How to check Kansas road conditions
Drivers can check a map of Kansas highway weather safety conditions at www.kandrive.org/kandrive. Kansas Department of Transportation statewide highway traffic cameras and Wichita cameras are also available online.
Internet users can also follow the paths of Wichita snowplows at www.wichita.gov/PWU/Pages/SnowRemoval.aspx.
When traveling during winter storms, fill the fuel tank, charge your cellphone and bring an emergency kit, the state agency advises.
If you know of a closing, cancellation or postponement because of the snowstorm, please email details to The Wichita Eagle at online@wichitaeagle.com. Weather-related photos and videos can be submitted to The Eagle online at www.kansas.com/customer-service/submit-photo/.
This story was originally published February 19, 2020 at 12:49 PM.