With a blizzard warning now in effect, the Lincoln Emergency Management Agency is urging residents to stay at home and off the roads on Sunday, Feb. 15, when the worst of the latest blizzard is forecast to pummel the area with heavy snowfall rates and high winds.
According to a National Weather Service briefing issued Friday at 4 p.m., “Travel will be treacherous and may become impossible late Saturday night and Sunday. Anyone traveling Saturday night and Sunday should be prepared to spend an extended period of time in their car should they become stranded.”
The NWS assessment prompted LCEMA Director Tod Hartung to advise: “Take care of business on Saturday, when the weather will be good most of the day. Then please try to stay off the roads Saturday night and Sunday… If it’s not an emergency, please stay at home.”
Keeping Lincoln County roadways clear of unnecessary traffic will allow emergency services and plow drivers to accomplish their tasks more efficiently.
On Friday the NWS upgraded a blizzard watch issued on Thursday to a blizzard warning. The “warning” designation is used by the NWS when “severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring.”
Light snowfall is forecast to begin Saturday afternoon and become steadier as the night goes on, with winds increasing Sunday morning, according to the NWS. The heaviest snowfall and highest winds are forecast for Sunday morning, with the snowfall diminishing later in the day, but with high winds continuing to blow fallen snow into the night time hours.
Snow accumulation for this event is presently forecast by the NWS at 18 to 24 inches, a substantial increase from the 12 to 16 inches first forecast.
Winds from the north sustained at 25 to 35 mph and gusting to 50 mph are also in the NWS forecast.
The only good news is that temps are forecast to stay well below freezing during the event, making for “fluffy” snowfall, as opposed to the wet, heavy snowfall that makes for hazardous shoveling and possible power outages.
The blizzard warning is in effect from noon on Saturday to Monday at 7 a.m., according to the NWS.
The Lincoln County News will continue to follow the progress of this event and post any additional information here as soon as it is obtained.
