SIDNEY - A pair of key travel arteries in the southern Nebraska Panhandle remained closed through Wednesday morning.

Authorities told News Channel Nebraska on Tuesday afternoon, Interstate 80 and Highway 30 will remain closed until at least 7 a.m. Wednesday. Both roads are closed in both directions from the Nebraska-Wyoming border to North Platte. The eastbound lanes are closed from Cheyenne, Wyo. to the Nebraska-Wyoming border and the westbound lanes are closed from Kearney to North Platte.

The two roads are closed due to blizzard and whiteout conditions. A Christmas winter storm wreaked havoc on post-holiday travel across Nebraska, bringing snow and gusty winds. WeatherEye Meteorologist Ray Miller said a wind gust of 58 mph was registered in Sidney on Tuesday.

Nebraska State Patrol Trooper Travis Ahrendt traveled from Chappell to Sidney and reported he couldn't even see the hood of his car while on I-80. View News Channel Nebraska's full interview with Trooper Ahrendt in the video above. 

Falling and blowing snow, along with localized blizzard conditions, were expected to continue across the Sidney region Tuesday evening, according to the National Weather Service office in Cheyenne. Blizzard and winter storm warnings in the Nebraska Panhandle and northeast Colorado remain in effect until 5 a.m. Wednesday.

The weather service says snowfall, heavy at times, will continue through the night, before tapering off from west to east late Tuesday night through midday Wednesday. Wind gusts of more than 50 mph remain possible along I-80 until midnight Tuesday night. However, the NWS says breezy conditions return Wednesday and will lead to areas of blowing and drifting snow, but not as significant as what was seen on Tuesday.

**

ROAD CONDITIONS