2-4 Inches Expected: Snow Emergency Plans For Area Towns

The Nebraska Department of Roads is spending Friday getting their equipment ready. Tony Tschirren, who oversees Antelope and Knox County, along with portions of Boone, Madison and Pierce counties, said workers are putting wings on the snowplows in preparation for the storm. 

With Antelope County's first big snowstorm of the fall/winter looming, local and state employees are busy preparing. Communities have also announced their snow emergency plans.

A winter weather advisory for snow has been issued across the area. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued an alert Saturday from 6 a.m. until midnight. Besides Antelope County, the storm is expected to hit area counties of Knox, Cedar, Pierce, Boone and Madison.

The Nebraska Department of Roads is spending Friday getting their equipment ready. Superintendent Tony Tschirren, who oversees Antelope and Knox County, along with portions of Boone, Madison and Pierce counties, said workers are putting wings on the snowplows in preparation for the storm. 

Tschirren said plows are generally dispatched at 4:30 a.m. and run until 7 p.m., depending on traffic and activities. He reminded motorists to use 511 for updated road conditions. 511 is available by phone or online. 

The Nebraska Department of Roads now has a smartphone app showing road condition updates, as well as cameras with video from highway intersections across the state. 

Tschirren said the local conditions are updated on 511 as soon as they change to ensure motorists have the most up-to-date information available to them. He also reminded motorists to drive with their lights on and to wear seat belts. 

According to the NWS, snow is expected to develop over the area Saturday morning as early as 6 a.m., but especially by 9 or 10 a.m. The snow will increase in the afternoon and then taper off or end Saturday evening. Two to four inches of accumulation is expected.

The NWS said visibility will be less than 1 mile in the steadier snow and roads could become snow packed and slick. 

Below are snow emergency plans for the larger communities in Antelope County:

Neligh - A snow emergency is declared after 3 inches falls. No parking on city streets. Sidewalks must be cleared in 24 hours.

Elgin - One inch of snow or if snow is drifting they will run snow plows. Request no vehicles on streets. 

Clearwater - One inch of snow or more request residents don’t park along the streets. 

Tilden - Don’t park on the streets especially main roads. 

Orchard - Keep cars off the streets and don’t park on main street.