With weather forecasts for winter conditions possible late Wednesday evening (December 21) and into Thursday (December 22), the City of Salina is making preparations to pre-treat roadways with salt and Magnesium Chloride brine (MgCl2), treat initial accumulations of snow with salt and MgCl2, and if necessary plow roadways.
Salt spreaders will be loaded Wednesday and ready to treat roadways either Wednesday evening or early Thursday as roadway conditions merit. Crews are divided into day and night shifts to allow continuous 24-hour operations.
If snow accumulations are greater than 1.5” in depth, all arterial and collector streets will be plowed. If accumulations exceed 2” in depth, snow will be plowed in residential areas once arterial and collector streets have been plowed. High winds and extreme wind chill temperatures are expected which may prolong the street clearing operations.
Latest Weather Report:
Wednesday Night-Thursday:
Accumulating Snow, Flash Freeze, and Near Blizzard Conditions Expected Thursday!
- Dry, powdery snow arrives early Thursday morning, developing as an Arctic front sweeps through the region.
- Temperatures will crash behind this front, going from mid-30s ahead of the front to below 10 degrees by 5am.
- Slickness will rapidly develop as pavements rapidly fall well-below freezing.
- Some treatments will likely lose their effectiveness as temperatures drop to near zero by mid-morning.
- Best chance for snow accumulations likely between 2am to 10am Thursday. (1-3 inches)
- Winds will increase behind this front, with 40-50 mph gusts lasting through the afternoon & into overnight.
- Winds & snow create white out conditions, and falling temperatures result in dangerously cold wind chills (-20 to -30 degrees).
- Near-blizzard conditions Thursday morning will make travel very hazardous to near impossible.
- Falling snow ends late morning to midday from W-E. Blowing & drifting snow will remain a problem well into Thursday night.