Winter Weather Advisory as Lincoln Issues Snow Emergency; Troopers Respond to More Than 150 Incidents
The City of Lincoln declared a Snow Emergency Thursday evening as a winter weather advisory remains in place until 6 a. m. Friday, and Nebraska State Patrol troopers have handled more than 150 storm-related incidents across the state.
Winter Weather Advisory and weather products differ
City updates and National Weather Service messaging contained different terms for the overnight period: one notice used the phrase Winter Storm Warning until 6 a. m. Friday, while other messaging described a winter weather advisory through 6 a. m. Friday. The advisory lists possible additional accumulations and wind impacts for the same overnight window.
Lincoln activates snow emergency, parking bans and plow operations
The City of Lincoln declared a Snow Emergency effective at 8 p. m. ET Thursday and scheduled two parking bans to begin at 10 p. m. ET: a Snow Emergency Parking Ban that bars parking on both sides of emergency snow routes, arterial streets, and school and bus routes, and a Residential Parking Ban that prohibits parking on the even-numbered side of residential streets on routes that are not emergency snow routes or included in a snow removal district. Maps of affected routes are available on the city's snow webpage.
Winter operations crews are plowing and applying granular salt pre-wet with brine to arterial, school, transit and emergency snow routes. Additional crews will begin plowing residential streets at 10 p. m. ET.
Troopers handle more than 150 incidents; fatal crash on Highway 83
Nebraska State Patrol troopers have been busy statewide as the storm moved through. As of 8: 00 p. m. ET, troopers had responded to 114 motorist assists and 45 crashes. Multiple collisions prompted closures of stretches of Interstate 80 in different parts of the state.
At approximately 1: 35 p. m. ET, a two-vehicle crash on Highway 83 south of North Platte involved a Ford sedan and a Dodge pickup. Preliminary investigation noted the Ford lost control in winter conditions, crossed the center line and struck the Dodge pickup. Two passengers in the Ford were pronounced deceased at the scene. The Ford's driver was transported to Great Plains Health in North Platte with life-threatening injuries; the Dodge driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The crash remains under investigation.
Travelers are advised to monitor Nebraska 511 for closures and road conditions and can reach the NSP Highway Helpline at *55 if stranded.
Officials say winter operations will continue through the night, with additional residential plowing beginning at 10 p. m. ET and the weather product remaining in effect until 6 a. m. Friday; more updates are expected as the night moves on.
