Snow-covered roads lead to slick commutes. How to check Wichita road conditions
Wichitans woke up to a fresh blanket of snow Wednesday, Feb. 12, leading to a possible slick morning commute for drivers.
Botanica closed due to the weather, and Cowtown, the Wichita Art Museum and the Mid-America All Indian Museum delayed opening until noon.
The snow moved into the area overnight and light snowfall continued throughout the morning. The National Weather Service posted on social media that some areas could get another 1 to 2 inches throughout the afternoon.
Warmer temps are supposed to move into Wichita on Friday followed by more possible snow Saturday, according to the National Weather Service’s forecast.
While the city of Wichita treated the roads ahead of the weather, you could still run into some slick spots. Here’s what to know.
How to check on Wichita plowing
The city’s plow drivers operate 24/7 during winter events to clear the main roads. The city does not plow neighborhood roads.
The city first plows 1,500 lane miles of the main routes and then clears 300 miles of secondary and school routes. You can track the city’s snow plows on the city’s online tool, where you can also see their fun names (like “Lord Cold-emort” and “Snow Worries.”)
How to check on Kansas highway conditions
If you need to drive on a state highway or interstate today, the website KanDrive provides live updates, as well as live video feed, of the road conditions and car accidents. As of 11 a.m., the website was reporting a snow-covered Kellogg as well as a crash westbound.
Tips for driving on snowy roads
Here are tips for driving in the snow, from AAA:
- Drive slow.
- Add extra time for your commute.
- Avoid breaking as much as possible.
- Accelerate slowly.
- Leave enough room between you and the car in front of you.
Be sure to clear off all snow from your windshield before hitting the roads. Not only is driving with snow on your vehicle dangerous, it’s also illegal.
AAA recommends starting your vehicle’s engine and setting your car’s heater to defrost before attempting to scrape ice off your wind shield. The ice should begin to melt when you turn your heat to the highest setting. AAA recommends using a plastic scraper instead of a metal scraper, which could scratch your glass. You should also never use hot water to melt ice from your windshield, because that could break the glass.
This story was originally published February 12, 2025 at 12:51 PM.
