Otoe County commissioners met with road crew supervisors Tuesday and Otoe County Emergency Management Director Gregg Goebel regarding forecasts of crippling winter storm on Thursday through Christmas Day.
Forecasts this morning show rain, freezing rain and sleet today and Wednesday with snow starting to fall the day before Christmas and gaining momentum on Christmas Eve.
Forecasts maps show a band of six to 10 inches of snow that includes all of southeast Nebraska. Goebel said the snow might again be followed by 30 to 35 mph winds.
The snow comes on the heels of a storm that dumped up to 14 inches in parts of Otoe County.
County Board Chairman Tim Nelsen said the earlier snowfall was historic and without peer over the past 20 years and said the storm coming in for Christmas might be round two.
Commissioners commended road crews for opening roads so that rural residents had at least one path to a major roadway within a day and a half.
Commissioner Carol Crook said the school district complimented the work to open bus routes.
“They had never been through areas when the snow was higher than the bus before,” she said.
Lynn Denniston, crew leader, said the county worked 13 to 14-hour shifts for three days, broken by sleep periods of about 10 hours.
“I appreciate all of the efforts the guys gave,” said Commissioner Steven Lade. “To open 1,038 miles of road in a day and a half is fantastic,” he said.
Denniston said it was common to see drifts higher than most vehicles, so crews initially focused on opening a one-lane path. On subsequent days, crews widened roads with the most traffic.
He said it helps that rural residents are familiar with the roads and know where to expect the heaviest drifting.
