If the city’s snow-removal crews were athletic teams, Tuesday would have been their final preseason game.

“It went well,” Chuck Soules, Public Works director, said after his crews drove routes in the city’s 15 snow plows as practice for coming snow season. “The guys got the equipment out and ready to go.”

Just as well.

6News meteorologist Ross Janssen is predicting a mix of snow and rain this afternoon and more freezing temperatures later this week.

Soules said the city was ready for a long, cold winter with plenty of road salt on hand in city storage at 11th Street and Haskell Avenue, as well as the “north 40” near the Clinton Reservoir Water Treatment Plant on Wakarusa Drive to keep the roads clear of slush, ice and snow.

John Barnes, a city maintenance worker, lubricates the gears on a sand truck in front of storage bins holding salt and sand. Tuesday, workers gave snow-clearing equipment a trial run in preparation for winter weather. Ross Janssen, 6News meteorologist, said a mix of snow and rain was possible this afternoon.

“We’ve got that all in,” Soules said. “The salt bins are all full we can’t hold any more.”

And as always, the city’s pothole response crews are ready for the winter rush, he said. People who see a pothole can call the city’s pothole hotline at 832-3456.

¢ Latest forecast¢ 6News video: Street crews review snow removal plans

“We try to respond within 24 hours,” Soules said.