Nebraska communities prepare for warmer, wetter conditions this winter

Climatologists are predicting a warmer and wetter than average winter this year thanks to El Nino, a climate pattern of warm air over the Pacific Ocean.

Eric Hunt with the Nebraska State Climate Office said despite warmer temperatures, Lincoln is likely to receive more snowfall than the previous two winters.

“I would basically tell anybody Grand Island and east, and particularly South of the Platte, to prepare for more snow than what we've had in the last couple of years,” Hunt said.

Lincoln Transportation and Utilities operations manager Tim Byrne said the city did its typical summer restock of road salt and is well stocked for the snow season.

“At the end of the day, we can't ever guarantee if it's going to be a light season or a heavy season,” Byrne said. “So we always want to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”

Last winter, some communities in the northern and western parts of the state ran out of salt and sand to treat snow-covered roads.

Hunt predicts less snow for the region this winter, but Ogallala city manager Kevin Wilkins said this year, the city increased its emergency snow removal budget to stockpile more salt and sand.

“I think we are better prepared this year for snowfall than we were last year,” Wilkins said. “And hopefully Murphy’s Law will kick in and because we’re prepared, we won’t need it.”