Driving Sedgwick County's plains means watching the sky and the wind

Sedgwick County sits in open plains country in the far northeast corner of Colorado, and the weather here has room to build. Driving with that in mind is just part of life on the eastern plains.

In the warm months, this stretch of the plains is in thunderstorm and severe-weather territory. Storms can bring hail, sudden downpours, gusty wind, and at times a tornado threat. The National Weather Service issues the watches and warnings; a watch means conditions are favorable, and a warning means take action now. In winter, the same open country can turn into blowing snow and ground blizzards, where wind drops visibility on highways even when little new snow is falling.

For drivers, the practical habit is simple: before a long stretch of county road or highway, check the forecast and the road conditions, and be willing to wait out a cell or a wind event rather than push into it. Distances between towns out here are real, and help can be far off.

This note does not quote any storm or closure, because those change fast. Check the National Weather Service for the forecast and Colorado’s COtrip for current road conditions before you go.