Sledding in the Sidney snow

For nostalgic holiday fans hoping for a white Christmas, their wish was granted.

Snow began in the late morning hours of Christmas Day in Sidney and surrounding towns and continued through the night and into midday Friday afternoon. It was expected to taper off by Friday night.

The storm dumped about 5 inches of snow on Sidney, Lodgepole and Dalton. Kimball and Bushnell received about 6 inches, while Gering and Scottsbluff received between 12 and 15 inches. Chadron was hit with between 14 and 17 inches of the white stuff.

Additionally, the National Weather Service reported that a record rainfall record of 0.42 inches fell at Scottsbluff Airport on Friday. That breaks the old record of .30 inches set in 2007.

However, amidst all the bad weather, Sidney residents have been driving well with no major weather-related accidents so far.

"People are driving well in this snow," said Assistant Chief of Police Joseph Aikens on Friday. "We just ask people to be careful as they drive."

The absence of drivers around Sidney due to the holidays and no school in session hasn't been a factor, according to Aikens. Drivers are simply being a lot more cautious, he said.

"There's been pretty good traffic," Aikens said, "but people have gotten used to the snow after the recent snowfall."

The National Weather Service predicts highs of the mid-20s and low-30s over the weekend and an occasional snow showers on Monday with a high of 6 degrees and a low of -9.

However, sunny skies and clear weather are slated for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.