Area braces for a frigid, arctic blast of winter

    Meteorologists are tracking a winter storm that some are predicting could be the worst in years.
    Nebraska and Chase County were expected to feel its impact by Wednesday afternoon.
    Dangerous, life-threatening cold is being predicted with wind chills in Imperial as low as -24 by 6 p.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service office in North Platte.
    The NWS’s timeline shows Imperial’s wind chill could intensify to -54 degrees by Thursday morning.
    Winds are expected to continue here into Saturday.
    The latest snow forecast for Imperial issued mid-afternoon Tuesday was 1-2 inches, and was predicted to start falling Wednesday afternoon.
    However, it’s the wind and the bitter cold that concern weather officials, along with Chase County first responders.
    Chase County Sheriff Kevin Mueller said Tuesday it’s the forecasted wind that worries him.
    “It won’t take much snow to get conditions like we had last week,” he said, when his department was involved with at least five separate accidents.
    Visibility and drifts became issues last week, and he expects much of the same this week even as more travelers will be out with Christmas on Sunday.
    Like the NWS, Mueller is warning people the wind chills will be dangerous.
    “Even without an accident, you could slide off the road” and be stranded in frigid temperatures, he said.
    He cautioned people never to leave their vehicle if stranded, and when traveling, to take extra clothing, blankets, food and water.
    The most recent winter weather alert from NWS Wednesday morning reported:
    A wind chill warning is in effect for all of western and north central Nebraska, which starts noon Wednesday continuing to Saturday morning.  
    Dangerous and potentially life-threatening wind chills of -30F to -50F starting Wednesday afternoon through Saturday morning.
    Early Thursday morning wind chills in Imperial could hit -54F.
    Wind chill values will fall sharply with the passage of a polar cold front Wednesday afternoon.
    A period of light snow is likely Wednesday afternoon and evening.
    Strong north winds will produce areas of blowing snow Wednesday afternoon through Friday.