As another winter storm pounds Nebraska, Lincoln residents are playing a waiting game.
They're waiting to see when the rain will transition to snow. The timing of that change, forecasters say, could be the difference between a 6-inch snowfall or a dusting.
With the timing question in doubt, the National Weather Service added Lincoln and neighboring counties in Southeast Nebraska to a winter weather advisory for the weekend.
As of Saturday evening, the forecasters' best guess was 3-4 inches of snow in Lincoln by Sunday evening. City officials said 20 crews began treating arterial streets at 4 p.m. using salt and brine to help prevent snow and ice from bonding to the pavement. Additional crews are ready to be called in if needed, the city said.
Those same snow projections call for 3-5 inches in Grand Island, 6-8 inches in Columbus and North Platte, 8-12 inches in Wayne and a foot or more in north-central Nebraska and the Sandhills.
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Winter storm warnings are posted in the areas where more snow is expected. By Saturday evening, there were reports of 11 inches of snow near Mullen, 8 inches near Stapleton and about 7 inches in parts of Knox County.Ìý
In some cases, above-freezing temperatures are working to melt the snow as it falls. But traffic is hazardous in areas where there is snow.
Visibly is limited on I-80 as the snow has rolled in. These are from North Platte to Grand Island.
— NEStatePatrol (@NEStatePatrol)Â
Take it slow if you're on the roads today.
Keep up to date with road conditions on .Ìý
The intensity of the moisture within the storm system can be seen in rainfall totals elsewhere in the state. As of 5 p.m., the Lincoln Airport had reported 1.56 inches of rain since Thursday evening. In Hebron, 2 inches of rain was reported, and streams and creeks in Thayer and Saline counties were reported out of their banks.
This is a developing story. Stay with for updates.