Morning traffic travels east on Sixth Street at Vermont Street on slick roads Jan. 10, 2011 . Lawrence schools closed Monday after several inches of snow fell early in the morning and more was expected throughout the day.

1:15 p.m. update

The National Weather Service has allowed a wind chill advisory for Douglas County to expire, but it doesn’t mean cold temperatures are going away. Expect highs in the 10s and low 20s through the weekend.

7:47 a.m. update

As of 7 a.m. it was officially 0 degrees in Lawrence, with the wind chill making it feel like -18 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The wind chill advisory for Douglas County is set to expire at noon Wednesday, but the temperature won’t climb above 10 degrees.

If you have to go outside today, make sure you dress in layers and wear hats and gloves to help prevent frostbite.

Despite the cold, highway conditions have improved since Monday’s snow. KDOT has classified all major highways in Douglas County as “partly snowpacked/ice” or “spots snowpacked/ice.”

2:25 p.m. update

KDOT is now reporting that all Douglas County highways are “partly snowpacked/ice.” It’s an upgrade from Tuesday morning reports of highways being completely snowpacked.

Plows are still out working around the clock, according to Kimberly Qualls, KDOT spokeswoman, and they will be until the roads improve.

“They generally won’t call it quits until they have wet, slushy conditions on the majority of roadways,” Qualls said. “If roads are covered in wet slush, they’ll keep skeleton crews on overnight, but it’s too early to tell for most of northeast Kansas.”

Right now, plows are scraping off any melting snow and doing the shoulders and exit ramps on routes in Douglas County.

11:17 a.m. update

Lawrence property owners have until 8 a.m. Thursday to clear public sidewalks of snow.

Code enforcement manager Brian Jimenez said the city typically starts the clock the morning after snowfall stops. City code requires snow or ice to be removed within 48 hours of the end of a snowfall or ice event. The fine for a violation is $20 per day, plus court costs.

Read more.

10:58 a.m. update

We just got an update from the city on snow removal progress. Megan Gilliland, communications manager, said crews will be working non-stop until all roads in Lawrence are cleared. Snow plow drivers are currently focusing on hilly areas and neighborhoods.

“We’re concentrating our plowing efforts in residential areas. We’ve been working there since last night. We’ll be completely done with residential areas by tomorrow morning,” Gilliland said. “Main roads are getting better, but we expect to touch them up this afternoon. The frigidly cold air does affect the condition of the pavement.”

As soon as streets are plowed, crews treat the asphalt with a salt/sand mixture that helps melt snow and ice.

10:04 a.m. update

The temperature has dropped one degree (it’s now 8 degrees), but it still feels like -13, according to the National Weather Service.

Here’s an update on highway conditions in Douglas County from KDOT:

• I-70 — Spots snowpacked/ice
• K-10 — Partly snowpacked
• K-32 — Partly snowpacked
• U.S. Highway 24 — Partly snowpacked
• U.S. Highway 40 — Partly snowpacked
• U.S. Highway 56 — Completely snowpacked
• U.S. Highway 59 — Partly snowpacked

6:02 a.m. update

Not only are the temperatures dropping, but highways in Douglas County are still “completely snowpacked,” “mostly snowpacked” or “partly snowpacked” as of 5 a.m. Here is a list of the highways and their current conditions, according to KDOT:

• I-70 — Mostly snowpacked
• K-10 — Partly snowpacked
• K-32 — Partly snowpacked
• U.S. Highway 24 — Partly snowpacked
• U.S. Highway 40 — Partly snowpacked
• U.S. Highway 56 — Completely snowpacked
• U.S. Highway 59 — Partly snowpacked

5:53 a.m. update

As of 5 a.m., the National Weather Service reported the temperature in Lawrence to be 9 degrees, but it feels like -13 degrees. If you have to go anywhere, bundle up!

The high is expected to be near 17 degrees, and blowing snow will be a problem through the morning and early afternoon. The winter weather advisory expired early this morning.

However the National Weather Service has now issued a wind chill advisory effective from 10 p.m. Tuesday through 12 p.m. Wednesday for the following counties:

• Anderson
• Brown
• Coffey
• Douglas
• Franklin
• Jackson
• Jefferson
• Lyon
• Nemaha
• Osage
• Pottawatomie
• Shawnee
• Wabaunsee

Wind chills will range from -15 to -20 degrees Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

The frigid temperatures mean exposed skin is vulnerable to frostbite, so dress in layers with hats and gloves. Try to keep pets indoors as much as possible. If you must keep a pet outside, make sure it has warm, dry shelter and provide plenty of food and fresh, unfrozen water.

7:59 p.m. update

Two school districts have called off classes for Tuesday, Jan. 11. Keep an eye on our closings and cancellations list throughout the evening and early morning for the latest information.

4:15 p.m. update

Just in time for your drive home, the Kansas Department of Transportation is declaring that all federal and state highways in Douglas County, except the Kansas Turnpike, have been upgraded to “slushy.”

That’s as opposed to completely snowpacked or partly snowpacked, which they were earlier. The Kansas Turnpike remains “completely snowpacked,” according to KDOT.

In other counties, road conditions are mixed. In southern Johnson County, roads are partly snowpacked, while in northern Johnson County they’re slushy. The Kansas Turnpike is completely snowpacked. In Shawnee County, all highways are still considered completely snowpacked.

But just because you can see bare pavement, don’t assume the pavement is clear. Several motorists have reported slick conditions on Lawrence streets that have been cleared, because the moisture and precipitation are combining to produce ice.

Forecasters are also predicting a band of heavy snow moving through the area between now and 6 p.m., which could lead to an addition 1-2 inches of snow.

3:40 p.m. update

If you’re having a hard time navigating your residential street in Lawrence, take heart. City crews are preparing to begin plowing and treating residential streets, according to just-released information from the city.

City spokeswoman Megan Gilliland said crews continue to plow and treat priority one and two roads, but this evening are expected to move onto residential streets. Crews have been working around-the-clock since 6 p.m. Sunday and will continue to work until all roads have been cleared.

Gilliland said the city was expecting 2-3 inches more of snow before the storm concludes late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.

The city also warned motorists that clear roads may still be slick because the moisture can freeze between plow passes.

2:55 p.m. update

The National Weather Service has extended the winter weather advisory for Douglas County until 3 p.m. Tuesday. Previously the advisory was set to expire Tuesday morning.

Another round of moderate snowfall will add up to an additional 1-3 inches of snow Monday afternoon and evening.

The advisory has been extended due to the threat of increasing winds and blowing snow through Tuesday. Wind gusts could be 25 mph by late evening and the wind chill is expected to drop to -10 to -15 degrees by midnight.

1:30 p.m. update

According to the @iembot_top Twitter account from the National Weather Service, Lawrence officially has 5 inches of snow as of 12:16 p.m.

We measured 4.5 inches outside the News Center at 645 N.H. in downtown Lawrence. How much snow do you have in your area?

1:03 p.m. update

Kansas University just announced they will close the Lawrence campus at 3 p.m. Overnight employees may arrive two hours late.

Multiple closings have been reported throughout the day, so keep refreshing our closings story as rush hour and evening activities approach.

11:34 a.m. update

Have a snow day? Want to go sledding? We’ve compiled a list of popular sledding spots in Lawrence.

Have fun and send us your sledding videos on Twitter @LJWorld or at editor@ljworld.com!

11:04 a.m. update

Here is the latest update from the National Weather Service:

Moderate snowfall will eventually move east early Monday afternoon with another round of moderate snowfall late afternoon. Additional snow accumulations of 1-3 inches are possible through the rest of Monday.

Wind gusts could hit 20-25 mph by Monday night, and blowing snow could become a problem Monday night and Tuesday morning.

Snowfall is expected to taper off by midnight. Total accumulations could be 6-8 inches.

10:55 a.m. update

We just got off the phone with Kimberly Qualls from KDOT. Qualls said that highways in northeast Kansas are still bad.

“Until the snow stops and we can treat [the roads], it’s going to be this way,” Qualls said.

Once the snow does stop, it could present a new set of problems for KDOT. Qualls said blowing snow and drifting will be issues on Tuesday.

“Until then, our focus is plow, plow, plow,” Qualls said.

10:28 a.m. update

We just measured the amount of snow in a courtyard near the News Center at 645 N. H. So far, we’ve had four inches of snow downtown. What are some snowfall totals in your area?

10:24 a.m. update

There is a report of an overturned snow plow just west of Baldwin Junction on U.S. Highway 56. KDOT is still reporting that all highways in Douglas County remain snowpacked. That includes:

• Kansas Highway 10
• Interstate 70
• Kansas Highway 32
• U.S. Highway 24
• U.S. Highway 40
• U.S. Highway 56
• U.S. Highway 59

10:10 a.m. update

An update just released from the city says that all roads in Lawrence, including residential roads, have been treated with sand and/or salt. However, city crews are still plowing priority one and two streets while the snow continues to fall. The city will focus on residential streets once snowfall begins to taper off.

• Download a map of “Priority #1” sanding/salting routes in Lawrence
• Download a map of snow plow routes in Lawrence

8:59 a.m. update

The latest information from the Kansas Department of Transportation has all state and federal highways in northeast Kansas completely snowpacked.

A number of runoffs and minor accidents have been reported so far this morning but thus far, nothing serious.

8:41 a.m. update

The City of Lawrence has begun plowing operations, city spokeswoman Megan Gilliland said Monday morning.

The crews are plowing both arterials, defined as the main roads in town, as well as collectors, which include roads that take traffic to the arterials, as well as those near schools, hospitals and other important community landmarks.

Plowing operations typically begin once there has been about 3 inches of snow accumulation.

7:54 a.m. update

According to the National Weather Service, 3.5 inches of snow has been reported in Lecompton, and 2.5 inches of snow east of Lawrence.

7:50 a.m. update

The latest road reports from KDOT are that all state and federal highways in Douglas County are completely snowpacked. In Leavenworth, Shawnee and Johnson counties, state and federal highways are either completely or mostly snowpacked.

In Lawrence, most residential streets are completely snow-covered, but on primary and collector streets, there are visible driving lanes.

If you’re heading out this morning, remember to take it slow.

6:25 a.m. update

Practically all area school districts are closed today. We’ve got a complete list.

5:38 a.m. update

Just after 5:30 a.m. the Kansas Department of Transportation is reporting that all roads in Douglas County are completely snowpacked. These include:

• Kansas Highway 10
• Interstate 70
• Kansas Highway 32
• U.S. Highway 24
• U.S. Highway 40
• U.S. Highway 56
• U.S. Highway 59

Drive carefully!

12:15 a.m.

City crews continue to treat streets in anticipation of snowfall. The National Weather Service predicts the area will receive anywhere from 1-3 inches overnight and into Monday.

Street conditions are currently drivable, though motorists are still urged to drive carefully on wet roadways.

The winter weather advisory is set to expire Tuesday morning. Check back at LJWorld.com for more updates.

3:36 p.m. update

The City of Lawrence will begin round-the-clock road treating and clearing at 6 p.m., spokeswoman Megan Gilliland said in a statement.

The city received about an inch of snow Saturday night an is expected to receive another 1-3 inches of snow Sunday night into Monday. The bulk of the 5-8 inches of snow forecast for Lawrence is expected to come during the day Monday.

Check back at LJWorld.com for updates.

2:10 p.m Update

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for Douglas and surrounding counties from midnight tonight until 6 a.m. Tuesday.

6 a.m. Update

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for Douglas and surrounding counties that remains in effect from late Sunday night through late Monday night.

Forecasters expect snowfall to begin accumulating late Sunday night and continue into Monday evening, tapering off early Tuesday.

Total snow accumulations could be 5-7 inches by Tuesday morning with winds from 5-15 miles per hour.

Megan Gilliland, City of Lawrence communications manager, said city crews were out all Saturday night and Sunday morning working on removing snow and clearing roads. Gilliland said crews will continue working Sunday, and that she’ll be able to provide more information and updates about the roads later on Sunday.

Counties covered by the winter storm watch include:

• Anderson
• Brown
• Clay
• Cloud
• Coffey
• Dickinson
• Douglas
• Franklin
• Geary
• Jackson
• Jefferson
• Lyon
• Marshall
• Morris
• Nemaha
• Osage
• Ottawa
• Pottawatomie
• Republic
• Riley
• Shawnee
• Wabaunsee
• Washington

The snow could make travel difficult and potentially dangerous.

Check back with LJWorld.com for updates.