Lincoln could see 4 to 9 inches of snow on Christmas

Mother Nature delivered a white Christmas for much of Nebraska on Monday, including Lincoln.

As of 11 a.m., areas in an around Lincoln had received 1-2 inches of show, with more expected throughout the day Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

Lancaster County is in a winter weather advisory until 9 p.m., while many areas west and north of Lincoln are experiencing blizzard conditions.

Meteorologist Michaela Wood with the National Weather Service in Valley said Sunday night that Lincoln was on the line between higher estimated snow totals north and west and lower amounts in the east.

Lincoln Transportation and Utilities officials said crews are applying granular salt pre-wet with brine to arterial streets and bridges and urged drivers to watch for slick spots, especially on untreated surfaces. There is no StarTran bus service Monday.

A large swath of central Nebraska is under a blizzard warning through Christmas Day, with a foot or more of snow and wind gusts up to 50 mph possible in many areas. O’Neill is forecast to see 11 to 18 inches of snow while Grand Island could have 6 to 10 inches. Lincoln could receive between 2 to 5 inches, although by Monday morning most forecasters were predicting the total to fall on the lower end of that spectrum. East of Lincoln, snow totals drop, with 1 to 4 inches possible in Omaha.

Snow is expected to taper off by Tuesday afternoon, Wood said.

The Nebraska State Patrol and the state Department of Transportation urged caution to holiday travelers, especially in areas under a blizzard warning.

“The expected severity of this storm has increased over the last couple of days and will now pose significant travel challenges across the state,” state transportation director Vicki Kramer said in a news release Sunday. “NDOT is ready as this storm affects Nebraska, but we urge travelers to assess whether their travel is absolutely necessary before hitting the road.”