SIDNEY - The closure of the westbound lanes on Interstate 80 west of Cheyenne Wednesday impacted the travel plans for semi-tractor-trailer drivers in the southern Nebraska Panhandle. 

Tommy Isler, a driver for Paragon Freight, reached his drive-time limit and decided to pull-off the interstate at Sidney for the night Tuesday. When he woke-up on Wednesday, he saw six inches of snow on the ground and decided to stick around in the southern Nebraska Panhandle.

"The Wyoming Department of Transportation website was showing Interstate 80 was closed west of Cheyenne," Isler said. "That's the reason why I decided to stay right here. No reason for me to go to Cheyenne. I can't go no further."

The westbound lanes of I-80 are closed from Cheyenne to Rock Springs because of winter weather conditions. That was the only road closure as of 1 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, due to a late-winter storm blasting through Wyoming and Nebraska.

Isler says he'll stick around Sidney Wednesday to avoid driving in the snow before trying to get back on the road early Thursday morning.

"I look at the weather forecast for that day on where I'm going and try and plan my trip accordingly," Isler said. "I go on the Weather Channel and I got the Weather Bug app."

The heaviest snow in Sidney wrapped up Wednesday morning, but WeatherEye Meteorologist Paul Trambley says the area could still get another inch or two of light snow activity through Thursday morning. Blowing snow could affect visibility with wind gusts up to 30 mph. 

A winter storm warning remains in place until 5 a.m. Thursday for Garden and Deuel Counties in Nebraska; and Laramie and Goshen Counties in Wyoming.  Logan and Sedgwick Counties are in a winter weather advisory until 5 a.m. Thursday. Travel may remain hazardous due to to icy roadways and reduced visibilities in snow showers and blowing snow.

Dangerous wind chills could dip as low as 25 degrees below zero Wednesday night. A wind chill advisory has been issued from 5 p.m. Wednesday to 8 a.m. Thursday. Low wind chills can lead to frostbite in 15 minutes or less if precautions are not taken, according to the National Weather Service.

Snow tapers off Thursday morning followed by most sunny skies and a high near 20. Temperatures rebound this weekend with highs in the lower to upper 50s.

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ROAD CONDITIONS