By OLIVIA BERGMEIER
Salina Post
Temperatures plummeted this week in Salina, with the recorded temperature from Saturday, Nov. 18, at 70 degrees and this Saturday, Nov. 25, with an expected low of 23 degrees.
Randy Picking, 910 KINA Coffee Talk Co-Host, said during the morning talk show, "Four inches is what the models that I follow are forecasting. The good news is, wind is not going to be a problem."
Wind chills may not be a problem on Saturday while multiple inches of snow accumulates. Still, according to Saline County Emergency Management Deputy Director Natasha Cundy, Sunday morning would be frosty.
"Sunday, the windchill is going to be in the single digits, so be prepared to bundle up if you're going outside," Cundy said. "Remember, if you have to shovel snow, it will be heavy due to the wet snow conditions."
Current predictions from the Wichita National Weather Service show a few more inches of snowfall for the Salina region, with expected precipitation to accumulate quickly during the day.
Sunday and Monday will follow with single-digit wind chills during the early morning hours, followed by afternoon temperatures around 40 degrees.
According to Wichita NWS Meteorologist Vanessa Pearce, the predicted snowfall for Salina will be around five to seven inches.
Some parts of the state may see more of a wintery mix than snow, but snowpack is likely for north and western Kansas towns.
"We're thinking it'll be snow up there — you won't see that mix," Pearce said. "The mix will be more across South Central into Southeast Kansas, kind of closer to the Kansas turnpike."
Wichita NWS predicted that 3 p.m. would be the peak of Saturday's storm, with a predicted high temperature of 33 degrees.
This storm will likely cause reduced visibility in the afternoon, and the thick snowfall will cause slick conditions for motor vehicles.
"It's falling during the daytime hours when people are out and about or trying to do different activities," Pearce said. "Especially with the rates that are going to be occurring — the snowfall rates are going to cause that accumulation."
Pearce warned against unnecessary travel during the afternoon storm, encouraging residents to push plans to Sunday when the snow will have entirely left the state.
The predicted temperatures for Sunday remain in the low 40s, but travel should be safer due to clear skies and drier driving conditions.
"If you can, adjust your travel plans to a different day or time," Pearce said. "That would be highly encouraged — avoid any kind of going out if you don't need to on Saturday."
Local Weather Advisories
● Saline County: Winter Storm
● Ellsworth County: Winter Storm Warning
● Ottawa County: Winter Storm Warning
● Lincoln County: Winter Storm Warning
● Russell County: Winter Storm Warning
● Dickinson County: Winter Storm Warning
● Mitchell County: N/A
● Clay County: Winter Storm Advisory
● Marion County: Winter Storm Warning
● Cloud County: Winter Storm Advisory