Wichita, KS Gets Hit by Winter Storm

A blizzard warning was issued for south-central Kansas, including Wichita, from 7 a.m. Friday to 1 p.m. Saturday. Snowfall estimates for Wichita and the surrounding area were said to range from 6 to 15 inches; but many areas received much more snow than that.

Flights departing from the Wichita airport were canceled and all schools except for the Wichita School District were closed on Friday.

On Friday around noon a mixture of sleet and snow began to fall steadily and continued on into the night. Road conditions worsened as night fell and news reports said the City of Wichita would be working to keep the streets as clear as possible for citizens that needed to be traveling.

Saturday morning the snow and sleet had stopped falling and the sight was peacefully beautiful until big flakes of snow started to fall around 10 a.m. As the snow fell heavily; the weather channel said the visibility was two miles and to stay at home and off the roads if possible. The snow did not cease until around 1 p.m. There were snow drifts one and two feet high in and around my neighborhood.

The roads are said to be cleared or in the process of being cleared as it now nears 5 p.m. However, the half mile dirt road I live on would be nearly impossible to drive down in my rear-wheel drive Camaro. Looking out my front window now I see one small truck stuck as it drifted off the road.

The worst has passed us by. Reports and the weather channel now tell us that the snow should be nearly gone by Monday as the sun comes out and melts it all away. Even though it is too cold for me to sit outside comfortably; the ice on the trees, fence, and roof have started to shatter and break under the sun.

After this blizzard, I am certainly ready for springtime!