While many are preparing for Thanksgiving dinner, some are preparing to keep Omaha’s roads safe.
Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert said in an update on Facebook Wednesday a full roads crew would be working Thanksgiving Day as winter weather is expected.
“We are preparing for dangerous travel conditions tomorrow afternoon and evening. A full roads crew will work on Thanksgiving Day due to the current weather forecast. Because the forecast calls for an extended period of rain before it changes to freezing rain and sleet, it will not be effective to pre-treat the streets today and tonight, the solution will wash away. We will treat major and secondary streets as the precipitation changes to freezing rain and sleet.. We are also monitoring the weekend forecast and the potential for more precipitation. We'll provide updates as the holiday weather forecast changes,” she wrote.
A Winter Storm Watch was issued from Thursday morning to the evening.
“I still think we’re mainly rain in the morning. It looks like the air temperature, the ground temperature, and as you work on up through the atmosphere, all pretty warm to keep it plain old rain, at least above freezing. And as we head toward noon, there’s some hints we may start to see some freezing rain develop,” KMTV Meteorologist Ryan McPike said during KMTV Action 3 News at Midday.
McPike expects sleet and snow in the evening with ice becoming the main concern.
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The expectation of winter weather has already prompted city leaders to postpone the annual lighting ceremony for the Holiday Lights Festival to Saturday.
SEE ALSO: Omaha Holiday Lights Festival lighting postponed because of weather
