By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The majority of the state highways in the Barton County area remain closed after Monday’s snowfall, and the Kansas Department of Transportation will reevaluate their condition Tuesday afternoon. A winter storm warning continues in Barton County until Tuesday afternoon.
Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir said his department has seen multiple accidents due to the weather, mostly vehicles ending up in ditches.
"KDOT is out plowing snow now," said Bellendir. "They’re dealing with drifts. I’m guessing we dealt with at least 30 vehicles ending up in the ditch, and that’s just the number that we know about or were told about. We have multiple collisions. Stay home."
Bellendir reported a two-vehicle accident on U.S. 281 Highway, just south of Hoisington and a multiple-vehicle accident on U.S. 56 Highway, near Ellinwood.
Wind chill values in the Great Bend area will be as low as zero for Tuesday. Weather conditions will be blustery, with a west northwest wind 23 to 26 mph. Winds could gust as high as 36 mph.