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The wind and snow made driving along Kansas highways difficult Monday. But that wasn't as big of a problem as it could have been.
Along the turnpike south of Wichita the weather went from bad to worse, then got better, several times through the day. There were few travelers on the road. Most listened to the advice to stay home.
What few travelers there were all agreed on how bad road conditions were. There's one thing we learned about the snow Monday. "It's pretty nasty out there right now," said one woman, stopping for directions. "It's bad, full of blowing snow," agreed a man who stopped to check the radar.
But it's not just the blowing snow that's causing problems. "Slush and ice on the roads right now," said one traveler. "Just rough, rough driving."
They all agree that somebody got this storm right. "I was pretty sure it was going to happen, but we didn't know it was going to happen like this," laughs Larry Scott, who works for the Kansas Turnpike. "You always doubt them weathermen. But they was right again."
Larry Scott and Lori Slater spent the morning watching the snow come down. Not because they wanted to, but because it's their job. Driver after driver, Scott and Slater helped them get where they needed to go. "We try and just get them as much info as we can and let them make their own choice," Scott said.
This kind of snow isn't something the Sunflower State sees all that often. "This one's not sticking, but it'll be one of the worst, I'm sure, by the time it gets over with," said Scott.
Just as fast as it came down in the afternoon, the snow started melting. But for Scott and Slater, they just hope everybody gets home safely. "Sometimes I have a hard time getting people to turn around and get a motel," said Scott. "A lot of them are pretty persistent on going on."
Meanwhile, at the travel center, workers are preparing for what could be a very long night, as the worst of the storm is still coming. Several of the workers who say they have longer commutes came prepared with overnight bags, just in case they get stuck.