Area gears up for storm

Northeast Kansas residents hunkered down Friday to deal with an oncoming winter storm, which the National Weather Service predicted would bring the Topeka area potentially more than 3 inches of snow.

The wintry forecast precipitated a rash of closings, including Gov. Laura Kelly's shutting down state offices in Shawnee County and releasing non-essential state employees at noon — five hours earlier than usual.

Some power outages then occurred as the storm moved through, with Evergy reporting online at 5:45 p.m. that power was out at 1,193 homes and businesses in Pottawatomie County and 629 in Shawnee County.

The area remained under a winter storm warning issued Friday morning by the National Weather Service's Topeka office. The warning lasts from noon Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday. Forecasters indicated wintry precipitation was expected to fall throughout northeast Kansas.

Counties covered by the warning include Shawnee, Jackson, Jefferson, Pottawatomie, Wabaunsee, Riley, Brown, Nemaha, Geary, Dickinson, Morris and Lyon.

Forecasters said the storm would begin Friday by bringing rain, which would turn to ice and sleet during the afternoon and evening.

All precipitation would then transition to snow by sunrise Saturday morning, with periods of moderate to heavy snow continuing through Saturday afternoon, the weather service said.

It indicated winds could gust as high as 40 mph, and blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility.

"Uncertainty in the snow and ice totals remains in the forecast," the weather service said in a graphic shared Friday afternoon on Facebook.

A forecast for Shawnee County published later later that day indicated snow accumulations were anticipated to total less than 1 inch Friday night and 1 to 3 inches Saturday.

Dangerous travel conditions would be likely from Friday afternoon through Saturday in northeast Kansas, the weather service added.

Various government entities consequently closed earlier than usual Friday afternoon. Those included Fort Riley, the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka and the city of Topeka.

Topeka's city government had 17 dump trucks and six pickup trucks with plows and spreaders available and ready to clear the streets, said Molly Hadfield, the city's media relations coordinator.

She indicated the city would hold four employees over from its day shift crew to work until 7 p.m. Friday, have a full night shift crew on duty from 7 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday, then have a full day-shift crew on duty Saturday.

Various area law enforcement agencies — including the Topeka Police Department and the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office — on Friday implemented walk-in accident reporting procedures.

During walk-in accident reporting, police respond to scenes of crashes only if they involve possible injuries or death, impairment, major traffic congestion, hazardous materials, hit-and-run drivers, disturbances or vehicles that required towing, said Topeka police Lt. Joe Perry.

Other drivers involved in crashes were encouraged to exchange insurance, registration and contact information, then report the crash by calling the appropriate law enforcement agency or visiting its headquarters.

Temperature-wise, the weather service predicted Topeka would see a high temperature near 21 degrees Saturday with wind chill values of between 9 and minus 1.

Winds were predicted to initially come from the north at 15 to 20 mph while gusting as high as 30 mph, then decrease Saturday afternoon to 5 to 10 mph.

No precipitation is forecast for Sunday. The weather service predicts that day will bring Topeka partly sunny skies and a high temperature near 36 degrees.