By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Monday evening's snowstorm packed a predictable punch, dumping several inches of snow on the area. High winds created even more problems. Overnight and into Tuesday morning, virtually all roads were closed in Barton County and Central Kansas. Sheriff Brian Bellendir said efforts will continue into Tuesday afternoon to open roads back up.
"KDOT advises they're going to be opening state and federal highways in Barton, Pawnee, and Rush counties at 10 a.m. or shortly after," he said. "They believe they're going to have them open, but they're still 100 percent snow-packed with ice. They're going to be hazardous driving conditions. People are going to have to slow down."
As of 9:40 a.m. Tuesday morning, Bellendir said north-south county blacktops appear to be passable but are 100 percent snow-packed. East-west township roads and blacktops have heavy drifting up to three or four feet, which is causing issues with township road plows. Some East-west secondary roads continue to be impassable to due snow drifts. Bellendir said crews are hopeful to have blacktops plowed by late Tuesday afternoon.