Winter Storm Rocky is bearing down on the central Plains, forcing cancellations, forcing the closure of highways in the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles and sending work crews scrambling for salt and sand less than a week after Winter Storm Q dumped more than a foot of snow on parts of the region.
Here’s a state-by-state breakdown on the impacts of Winter Storm Rocky.
Kansas
The Department of Transportation has closed all state highways leading into the Oklahoma Panhandle.
Blowing and drifting snow has caused hazardous driving conditions and visibility is extremely low in the region.
Rocky is forecast to dump between 8 and 24 inches across the state.
State offices in the western two-thirds of the state will be closed through at least 6 a.m. Thursday. Gov. Sam Brownback said his administration will decide Monday whether to close the remaining state offices.
Brownback amended the state of emergency declaration he signed last week to include Rocky.
The Division of Emergency Management has activated the State Emergency Operations Center and will staff it around the clock until further notice.
Brownback motorists to “stay off the road unless it’s absolutely critical” but said drivers who must travel should pack their charged cell phones and emergency kits containing food, water, blankets, road flares and shovels.
Kansas City is approaching its February snowfall record of 20.7 inches, set in 1960.
The championship basketball tournament for the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Association was rescheduled the tournament for Tuesday in Park City.
Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol has closed all highways in the Panhandle. The closure extends from Cimarron County eastward to Woodward County.
American Airlines has cancelled afternoon flights in and out of Oklahoma City’s Will Rogers World Airport. Other airlines still have flights schedule, but that situation could change as Rocky advances.
More than a foot of snow is possible across the Panhandle.
Blizzard warnings are in effect until 6 a.m. Tuesday.
Winds up to 40 mph are predicted, and forecasters say gusts of 55 mph are possible.
Travel will be especially treacherous near Interstate 40.
Wheat farmers are hopeful that the third winter storm in the past week would help make a dent in a drought that has gripped the state since last summer.
The National Weather Service forecast about about a foot of snow for the northernmost part of the Panhandle.
State troopers are unable to respond to calls for assistance and National Guard units are mobilizing.
As much as 12 to 18 inches of snow is forecast in and near Amarillo. The rest of the region could see 6 to 14 inches.
Wind gusts up to 65 mph are creating whiteout conditions.
Strong wind gusts are expected through Monday night, creating whiteout conditions on roads.
The Texas Department of Transportation has closed Interstate 40 westbound from Amarillo to the New Mexico border and Interstate 27 between Amarillo and Lubbock.
All Panhandle roads are considered impassable.
Texas Tech University and many local school districts have canceled classes.
Flights in and out of the airports in Amarillo and Lubbock are canceled until Tuesday.
Missouri
More than a foot of snow is possible in some places.
The greatest threat of heavy snow will enter west-central parts of the state Monday and move through parts of central and northeast Missouri late Monday and into Tuesday.
Iowa
Snow will begin falling today and could linger into Wednesday.
Rocky is expected to enter south-central Iowa and leave behind 4-8 inches of snow as it tracks northeast.
Wind gust to 35 mph in some areas could make travel hazardous.
Nebraska
Forecasters predict that 1 to 4 inches of snow will fall over western and central Nebraska through Monday.
The heaviest snow is expected in the southeast corner of the state.
Omaha is likely to get 3 to 4 inches of snow.
New Mexico
Parts of the state received several inches of snow and felt blizzard-like conditions.
Sections of Interstate 40 have been shut down.
The state Department of Transportation also says parts of U.S. 54 near Santa Rosa and Tucumcari were closed early Monday.
The Albuquerque Journal reported that city police say there were helping state police shut down eastbound Interstate 40 at Eubank Boulevard due to blizzard conditions.
The city of Santa Fe says that some of its offices will delay opening until 10 a.m. Monday because of the storm.
Colorado
Rocky snarled traffic, caused the cancellation of hundreds of flights, and forced officials to delay opening city offices.
The storm had dumped about nine inches of snow in Denver, and at least 10 inches in Loveland, Aspen Springs and Littleton.
The storm, is expected to make way for sun and warmer temperatures Monday.
Many city agencies and offices will delay opening until 10 a.m. Monday because of the storm. But officials said all basic city services will maintain regular operating schedules including snow response, traffic operations, trash handling and public safety operations.
After the storm leaves Colorado, workers will remove snow from the sides of highways and will concentrate on the heavy ice that is expected to build up on the area’s bridges, CDOT spokeswoman Mindy Crane said.
Illinois
The Chicago Department of Aviation reports normal operations at Midway and O’Hare, the bellwether air hub of the Midwest.
The Chicago area could get a mixture of freezing rain, sleet and 3 to 6 inches snow. The snow will start sometime after midnight Tuesday, forecasters said.
Indiana
Freezing rain and some snow is likely along and east of Interstate 69 in the northern part of the state, with ice accumulations up to one-quarter of an inch.
West of I-69, snow accumulations of 3 to 7 inches are possible.
Michigan
Rocky is expected to bring roughly 6 inches of snow to parts of western and southern Michigan on Tuesday and into Wednesday.
Snow could be wet and heavy.
Northern Michigan is expected to be on the fringe of the storm.
Officials urge motorists to use caution.
Arkansas
Counties in northwest Arkansas are under a winter weather advisory until noon Tuesday.
Forecasters say 1 to 2 inches of snow and gusty winds are possible.
Alabama
Severe storms are possible in the southwest part of the state.
Strong winds are possible in northern and central parts of the state.
Rainfall totals could exceed 4 inches in Mobile and the surrounding area.
Mississippi
There is a possibility of tornadoes, 60 to 70 mph wind gusts and large hail on Monday, with the greatest risk south of Interstate 20, which includes areas battered by a Feb. 10 tornado that hit several counties and cities, including Hattiesburg.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency says winds pose a significant risk of bringing down trees damaged in the earlier storm.
Flash flooding is also a concern. The ground is saturated and some rivers and streams are at or near flood stage.
Source: Wunderground – Winter Storm Rocky: State-by-State Impacts
