A strong winter storm is still on track to impact nearly the entire state of Nebraska and into parts of western Iowa this weekend. Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories are already in place and continue through Sunday evening.
Rain impacts the area through Friday night and most of Saturday in Omaha before we see the switch over to snow. Rain switches to snow sooner in central and northeastern Nebraska, where higher snow totals will be measured. While Omaha is currently in the 1-2" range for snow, totals increase quickly as you head north and west with Fremont in the 3-6" range, Columbus in the 6-8" range, and Norfolk in the 8-12" range. Keep in mind that if the transition to snow happens sooner in Omaha, that would increase our snow totals. If the track of this system moves farther to the south at all, that would also increase snow here in the Metro. Even if we see mostly rain on Saturday, with temperatures so close to freezing that could cause icy spots on roads, bridges and overpasses with freezing rain also possible.
It will be all snow in Omaha by Saturday night and snow continues to fall through Sunday. There is a lot of moisture associated with this system, which means this is going to be a wet, heavy snow unlike last weekends. Remember to take breaks when shoveling and to push the snow instead of lifting it. This kind of wet, heavy snow can also cause more problems as it can cause tree branches to break under the weight and contribute to more power outages. The wind will also pick up from the northeast at 15-30 mph with gusts of up to almost 40 mph possible.
Travel will be difficult at times on Saturday and Sunday as blowing snow will reduce visibility and any ice accumulation will make roads slick and lead to dangerous driving conditions. For the latest information stayed tuned to 3 News Now on air and online.
