Weather Blog: Snow tapers off, winds ramp up, schools close following latest winter storm

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Thursday night roundup: We’re nearing the end of yet another Storm Team 12 Weather Alert Day. Conditions turned messy quickly on Thursday, causing slide-offs, crashes and other problems.

Snow continues to taper off beyond midnight and it will be over before rush hour on Friday morning. North winds ramp up after midnight with gusts of 20 to 25 mph likely, but the snow will be over, so blizzard conditions are not likely to occur. Wind chills for Friday morning will be in the single digits and teens with a clearing sky. The afternoon will have highs mainly in the 30s.

The weekend forecast brings a chance for thawing and melting.

9:30 p.m. Update: The Sedgwick County Zoo announced that it will be closed Friday due to the conditions from a second winter storm in less than a week.

8:30 p.m. Update: Wichita Public Schools is among a growing number of districts that are cancelling classes Friday due to dangerous road conditions from a second round of winter weather in less than a week.

You can see a full list of school closures across Kansas here: https://www.kwch.com/weather/closings/.

As of 8 p.m. Thursday, notable snowfall totals in the Wichita area included five-and-a-half inches for downtown Wichita and five inches for Goddard. Statewide, the high snowfall amount is eight inches reported in Hardtner, in Barber County. Storm Team 12 Chief Meteorologist Ross Janssen said that another inch or two could add to these totals before the snow stops.

7 p.m. Update: K-96, two miles west of Scott City, is closed to traffic, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation. The closure was caused by a semi that jack-knifed and is blocking both lanes on the highway. It is unknown at this time how long the closure will be in place.

Road conditions in southwest Kansas continue to deteriorate this evening due to the amount of snowfall. KDOT is discouraging travel until conditions improve.

If you must travel, for the latest updates on road closures and conditions, visit kandrive.gov, or call 511 in Kansas or 866-511-5368 outside Kansas.

6 p.m. Update: Snowfall reports from our station in north Wichita indicate a total of 3 inches so far.

5 p.m. Update: Westbound I-70 is now reopen at Goodland, according to KDOT. It was previously closed because of winter weather conditions in Colorado. Snow is hitting the Wichita area in full force. Watch the video below for a rush hour traffic update from the 12 News Team.

3:45 p.m. Update: The Emergency Accident Reporting Plan is in effect in Wichita, Goddard, Derby and Haysville as more snow hits south-central Kansas.

While EARP is in effect, anyone involved in a non-injury accident in the city limits and no alcohol is involved, exchange information with the other driver involved and you can fill out an accident report within 24 hours.

Forms can be found at the nearest QuikTrip, online at http://wichitapolice.com or at any police station from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For a live look at road conditions and traffic cameras across Kansas, click here.

Update: The Kansas Department of Transportation has closed westbound I-70 at Goodland because of winter weather conditions in Colorado.

For the latest updates on road closures and conditions, visit kandrive.gov, or call 511 in Kansas or 866-511-5368 outside Kansas.

I-70 is closed eastbound out of Denver due to adverse weather conditions, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

There are no closings in Kansas, but the I-70 closure stretches east to Burlington, about 20 miles from the Kansas state line.

A map on the CoDOT website shows multiple highway closures in eastern Colorado.

Stay ahead of the weather and follow the impact as snow moves into Kansas on the 12 News app.

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