Storm socks region
By KERRI REMPP, Record staff writer Monday, May 12, 2008
Old Man Winter wasn’t quite ready to turn over the reins to spring and struck the area with an early spring storm and blizzard-like conditions last week.
Roads and schools were shut down Friday as snow and ice accumulated and wind dangerously reduced visibility. According to the National Weather Service in Cheyenne, Wyo., accumulations varied greatly. Mike Weiland, a meteorologist with NWS, said the hardest hit areas appear to have been in the Pine Ridge area and north and in Cheyenne County and into Banner County. Areas in between those two saw far less snow, less than an inch in some cases.
Chadron and Harrison both reported four inches of snow, while six inches gathered in Dalton and three inches was reported in Bridgeport. Complicating the issue of snowfall, however, were the high winds associated with the storm. Weiland said the Panhandle in general saw winds of 50-60 miles per hour. The highest gust n at 73 mph n was reported from a highway site between Chadron and Harrison. The Chadron Airport reported winds of only 35 mph, and Weiland speculates the city was protected from the stronger winds to some degree by the Black Hills.
Travelers were advised to get off the roads throughout the region, and Interstate 80 was closed westbound from the Ogallala interchange and eastbound from the Kimball interchange. Numerous state highways were also shut down in an effort to avoid traffic accidents. In spite of that, the Nebraska State Patrol did respond to several accidents in the southern Panhandle, many on I-80.
The Chadron Police Department’s report listed three traffic accidents during the storm May 2, as well as calls regarding tree branches falling and cattle drifting with the storm.
Nebraska Public Power was also kept busy with outages throughout the day. Statewide the agency had 1700 customers affected, said Mark Becker, a media relations specialist. Hay Springs lost power around 6:30 a.m. and was restored just after 11 a.m., and Gordon was out for about three hours in the morning as well. Becker said NPPD did have a few poles knocked out by the winds. While that affected transmission, NPPD was able to reroute power in those instances and restore electricity to its customers. Ogallala was the most effected on the power grid with about 500 customers without electricity, Becker said. All-in-all, Becker said the outcome was not nearly as bad as they had been expecting.
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Friday’s snow was welcome for its moisture, but less so for the effect on flowers and blossoming fruit trees.
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