Tremendous snow storm hits region

Phil didn't see his shadow today, which means spring is supposedly on its way. But don't tell that to western Nebraska.

An extraordinary amount of snow fell in the region throughout Monday evening and into Tuesday morning. Law enforcement officials and first responders are imploring residents to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.

A snow emergency, issued on Monday morning, continues to be in effect in Sidney. Schools, businesses and governmental offices were closed on Tuesday because of the storm.

Cheyenne County Sheriff John Jenson, who spent the morning helping free vehicles that had become stuck in the snow, recommended area residents avoid driving.

"And if you absolutely have to go out, give yourself more time," he sad.

Nebraska State Patrol Lt. Jamey Balthazor, based in Scottsbluff, said while the snow has stopped falling, high winds mean streets and roads will remain snow covered for the next day.

Two troopers were on patrol Tuesday morning in the Sidney area, he explained, helping to work crashes and slide offs due to the wintery conditions.

While the Nebraska Department of Roads is working diligently to keep roads open, Balthazor said motorists must be very careful.

"If you can't postpone or avoid the trip, make sure you have supplies in the car, including water, food and a cell phone charger," he said.

It's also important to keep a full tank of gas, he said.

"That way, if you get stranded, you're able to keep the vehicle warm," he said.

Chris Hammer, a meteorologist at the Cheyenne, Wyo., National Weather Service office, said the snowfall should be over for the region.

"There won't be a lot more snow accumulation," he said.

However, winds are expected to continue gusting throughout the day before tapering off Tuesday evening. They will continue to blow 20 to 30 mph on Wednesday, he said.

"The impacts are going to linger," he said.

Geri Anthony, Sidney interim city manager, said crews are working to clear snow near the hospital and on snow routes.

"We're doing the best we can, but we have had some equipment breakdowns," she said.

As soon as the weather breaks, city staff will be out in force working to plow city roads, she said.

While the storm knocked out power to thousands of residents in eastern Nebraska, so far there have been no reported power outages in Sidney, Anthony said.

Cheyenne County Highway Superintendent Doug Hart said while his entire staff reported to work at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, because of a lack of visibility, they ceased operations.

"We had trucks and graders out, but the visibility was too bad," he said. "So we brought them back in."

Because of wind gusts, snow was blown back on roads immediately after plows drove through, he said.

The department will be out in full force again tomorrow morning, weather permitting, the highway superintendent said.

All area schools were closed on Tuesday. Sidney Public School District Superintendent Jay Ehler said maintenance crews reported to work to begin clearing snow from building entrances.

"We're out today, and tomorrow is questionable," he said.

Every Sidney school has snow drifts near the entrances, creating safety hazards, he said.

"We'll monitor it as the day goes on, and determine if we can get kids in and out of the doors tomorrow," he said.

This is the third snow day this academic year at the Sidney school district, he said. Every year, 8 to 10 days are added to the schedule to ensure the district meets or exceeds the state requirement for the number of instructional hours.

"We're probably OK," he said. "But if we were to have a few more snow days, it could cause us to have to add on days at the end."

Ron Leal, Region 21 Emergency Management Director, urged residents to stay home while the storm, and its aftermath, continues.

"Just stay home," he said. "That's the big thing. The less people on the highways the better."