Snowfall limits school, but accidents here nil

    Forecasts of 4 to 6 inches of snow proved true for this area, but unlike other parts of Nebraska, Chase County didn’t have the reported accidents or major snow-related issues like areas east of here.
    The National Weather Service’s cooperative observer in Imperial, Mike Francis, measured 6 inches of snow in Imperial on Monday and Tuesday (another half inch fell on Saturday).
    Hayes Center, the closest reporting area to Wauneta, measured 4.5 inches Monday and Tuesday, while Madrid recorded 4.2 inches.
    But an NWS measurement about eight miles southwest of Madrid showed 6.5 inches of snow.
    Snow was still falling lightly Tuesday when the above figures were given. There were forecasts of possibly another inch of snow Tuesday night.
    A Tuesday check with both the Chase County Sheriff’s Office and Imperial Police Department found no reported accidents on Sunday or Monday when most of the snow was recorded here.
    Classes were cancelled Monday at Chase County Schools and Wauneta-Palisade called off school both Monday and Tuesday. CCS classes had a 10 a.m. late start Tuesday and Wednesday.
    Junior high basketball games involving Chase County teams in North Platte Monday were cancelled.
    While there were no accidents or snow-related assistance calls, Imperial Police Chief Ryan Wisnieski reminds residents to clean off sidewalks by their homes in a timely manner to avoid hazardous walking conditions.
    The NE Dept. of Transportation district office in Imperial had road crews out by 4 a.m. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to clear highways, reported Karen Fanning.
    Areas in other parts of Nebraska had much worse conditions.
    According to the Omaha World-Herald, Omaha recorded its seventh-highest one-day snowfall total when 11.9 inches fell through midnight Monday at Eppley Airfield.
    Lincoln recorded 14.5 inches at the airport.
    Nebraska state troopers responded to more than 300 weather-related incidents Monday as record-breaking snowfall affected travel throughout much of the state.
    By Monday night, troopers have performed 313 motorist assists and responded to 28 crashes. They continued to respond to incidents on I-80 and other major roadways Tuesday.  
    Mid-morning Tuesday the westbound lanes of I-80 from North Platte to Hershey were closed because of a multi-vehicle crash.
    One crash Monday afternoon forced the closure of eastbound I-80 near Lexington for approximately three hours.
    The crash occurred when a westbound Toyota pickup lost control, crossed the median and struck an eastbound Honda Pilot. Eastbound traffic then slowed, but a chain-reaction crash occurred, involving several vehicles.
    Six people were transported to the Lexington hospital, all with non-life-threatening injuries. State Patrol, the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office and volunteer fire departments from Cozad and Lexington all responded, according to a State Patrol news release.
    Throughout Monday, five NE Dept. of Transportation plows were struck by other vehicles through the state. None of the crashes involved injuries.  Four of those plows were able to return to service and continue their work.