SIDNEY - Hazardous weather conditions could impact holiday travel in the Nebraska Panhandle and Wyoming this Thanksgiving weekend, according to the National Weather Service office in Cheyenne.

A winter storm warning is in effect from 5 p.m. Thursday through 5 a.m. Saturday for Banner, Scotts Bluff, Sioux, Laramie and Goshen Counties. Dawes, Box Butte, Morrill, Sheridan, Garden and Deuel Counties are in a winter storm watch from 2 p.m. Thursday to 11 p.m. Friday. Cheyenne, Kimball, Logan and Sedgwick Counties were placed in a winter weather advisory from 8 p.m. Thursday until 5 a.m. Saturday.

WeatherEye Meteorologist Paul Trambley says accumulating snowfall will start Thanksgiving night and last through Friday night.

"Quiet weather through the daytime hours on Thanksgiving, so if you're maybe doing some last-minute travel on the day itself it looks like you should be okay," Trambley said. "Thanksgiving night is when we start to see that band of light snow moving in out of Wyoming with this low that's going to really kick into gear in Wyoming where the heaviest snows are going to be found."

Trambley says heavier amount of snow will be in Cheyenne and Laramie. The north-central and western parts of Wyoming could see over a foot of snow.

Closer to home, Trambley expects snow totals to range from two or three inches to six or seven inches.

"Latest indications put better chances for some of those six-inch amounts to be a little bit further north of Sidney, so that's kind of the reasoning for that winter storm watch at this point in effect a little bit further north across the panhandle," Trambley said. "Definitely some snow-covered roads by Black Friday morning. Thankfully, not a lot of wind with this event."

Trambley advises if you're away from home after 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving night, it might be a good idea to hold tight until the storm passes. 

The strong cold front sweeping through the Sidney region late Wednesday night will also bring bitter, cold temperatures for Friday and Saturday. Highs are forecast to only be in the lower to mid-20s.

The NWS says impacts to the agricultural community are possible as morning low temperatures will be in the single digits, with wind chill readings near or below zero.

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