Monday’s winter storm dropped several inches of snow on Lawrence. Now weather forecasters are warning Lawrence residents to brace for a cold week as a northwesterly wind is expected to bring brutal wind chill temperatures through Thursday.

“It’s winter in Kansas. It’s the middle of January. It’s going to be cold,” said Matt Wolters, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Topeka. “We just need to be cautious and take extra precautions.”

The snow caused some issues for commuters, but as of Monday night no major injury accidents were reported.

Douglas County Undersheriff Steve Hornberger said sheriff’s officers handled many calls where motorists needed assistance or slid off the road. Minor accidents were also reported in Lawrence, and one person was taken to the hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries Monday afternoon after an accident in a parking lot at 1605 W. Ninth St.

Another accident was reported involving a Eudora Township snowplow. The plow was working on County Road 1061 when it was struck by a Toyota van. The van went into a ditch where it struck a utility pole. One person was transported to an Overland Park hospital, but was not in critical condition, Hornberger said.

Minor injury accidents were also reported on Interstate 70 near the Lecompton Interchange, on Kansas Highway 10 and when a Douglas County snowplow rolled over on U.S. Highway 56 about 5 miles west of the Baldwin Junction.

Wolters said he expected state and other crews to work into this morning clearing highways and roads as high winds likely could cause problems once the snowfall stops. The National Weather Service extended its winter weather advisory until 3 p.m. today.

“The road conditions still could be pretty bad with blowing snow coming back onto the roads,” Wolters said. “Anybody who has to get up in the morning should probably plan on leaving early.”

The wind will also make it feel brutally cold today. The high temperature is forecast to be 18 degrees with wind chill between -1 and -6 and the National Weather Service has issued a wind chill advisory for Douglas County. The weather service does not predict that temperatures will get above freezing until Friday.

Students in Douglas County school districts were not only given a snow day Monday, but school was called off for the second day in a row Monday evening. Check our complete list of closings and cancellations for Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011.