Forecast of a chance of one inch or more of snow across central Nebraska on Thursday, Feb. 19, (NWS Hastings, Courtesy)
BROKEN BOW — A Winter Storm Watch has been issued for several counties in north central Nebraska for Thursday, Feb. 19.
The National Weather Service – Hastings has issued the watch for Valley, Greely, Sherman and Howard counties. NWS North Platte has issued the same watch for Custer County and several in the Sandhills.
Per NWS Hastings, heavy snow is possible with total accumulations between three to five inches possible, with some isolated amounts that could be as high as six to seven inches. Winds could also gust up to 40 mph.
The watch will be in effect from Thursday morning through the evening.
“A narrow band of moderate to heavy snow is forecast to develop Thursday morning and continue through the daytime hours, and perhaps into the evening. The area of heavy snow may be only 40 to 60 miles wide from north to south, so even slight shifts in storm track could lead to big changes in observed snowfall,” per NWS Hastings.
“Travel could be very difficult. The hazardous conditions could impact the Thursday morning and evening commutes. Gusty winds could lead to areas of blowing and drifting snow and reduced visibility,” NWS Hastings noted.
NWS Hastings stated that they will likely have to buffer the Winter Storm Watch with a Winter Weather Advisory in the adjacent row of counties to the south, which would include at least Dawson, Buffalo and Hall.
