The winter storm dumped six inches of snow in the Plattsmouth area, while at least two cities in southwest Iowa reported 8 inches, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service said Sunday.
Snow began falling in Lincoln about 6:30 p.m. Saturday and had moved into southern parts of the Omaha metro area by 7 p.m.
Within an hour snow was covering roadways and traffic collisions were being reported.
The Iowa cities of Treynor and Persia each reported receiving 8 inches of snow. Atlantic, Iowa, recorded 9 inches of snow, said Tyler Roys of AccuWeather.
“East of Omaha, we have a lot of reports of snow depths of 8 to 9 inches,” Roys said. “That’s kind of the bulls-eye area for this storm.”
Glenwood and Omaha had anywhere between five and six and a half inches.
Authorities were advising people to stay off the roads if possible.
Lincoln, Plattsmouth, Auburn, Rock Port, Sidney and Shenandoah each had four inches.
Syracuse, Falls City, Mound City and Tecumseh ended up with two to three inches.
Motorists were warned to expect snow-covered roads and slick conditions. Authorities were advising people to stay off the roads if possible.
Here is the storm total snowfall as of 6 am Sunday, along with snow depth due this storm and previous snows last week. #newx #iawx pic.twitter.com/x2YzLdwZC0
— NWS Omaha (@NWSOmaha) February 17, 2019
The snow pushed northeast into the Omaha area from south-central Nebraska and continued into Iowa. The heaviest snow was expected before midnight.
Because of the snow, Eppley Airfield advised travelers to check the status of flights before heading to the airport. As of 10 a.m. Sunday, most flights appeared to be on time. Flights can be checked at www.flyoma.com.
A winter weather advisory for east-central Nebraska and southwest Iowa remains in effect until 6 p.m. Sunday with blowing snow being the main threat. Motorists should expect snow-covered roads, making travel difficult.
The snow was expected to end midday Sunday, said Roys of AccuWeather, with light snow continuing to fall north of the metro area. The high temperature for Sunday in Omaha is expected to reach 25.
“The temperature will drop to about 11 degrees tonight in Omaha,” Roys said. “We should see a high of 20 on Monday, but Monday night will be brutally cold with a low of 5 degrees above zero.”
Winds out of the northwest are expected to fluctuate between 7 and 14 mph, Roys said. Winter’s grip will remain strong in the region over the next week, he said.
Below-normal highs are predicted for most of the week, with Thursday highs expected to be in the mid-20s to low 30s.
Snow is expected again Friday night into Saturday, when a cold front is forecast to move through the area. A high of 30 with a 50 percent chance of snow is forecast for next Saturday.
Sunday’s high in the Nebraska City area is expected to be 24.
Travel is not advised over much of western Iowa. Please check road conditions before you head out? #newx #iawx pic.twitter.com/lVhWloP10C
— NWS Omaha (@NWSOmaha) February 17, 2019
STORM CLOSINGS AND CANCELLATIONS
ROAD CONDITIONS
News Channel Nebraska contributed to this report.
