The latest winter weather has already exceeded expectations in western Nebraska, and the storm is now starting to hit the central and eastern portions of the state.

Snow accumulation is expected to be in the 4-5 inch range for much of the eastern half of the state, with as much as 6 inches possible in the southeast portion. Freezing rain is also anticipated.

In the panhandle, Highway 30 from County Road 197 east of Chappell to the Wyoming State Line was closed in both directions just before 11:30 Monday night. The road remains closed due to winter weather conditions. 

Around the same time, the Nebraska Department of Transportation announced in a tweet that I-80 was closed from the I-76/I-80 junction to the Wyoming border due to conditions and multiple slide offs. Earlier Monday, Nebraska State Trooper Travis Ahrendt told News Channel Nebraska he had responded to multiple stranded motorists along the interstate. and that it felt like driving on a thin sheet of ice. Ahrendt called it one of the worst storms he’d seen.