Area under winter advisory; I-70 closed at Goodland, Kan.

Snow accumulation forecast for overnight. (National Weather Service graphic)
Snow accumulation forecast for overnight. (National Weather Service graphic)

UPDATE: At 7 p.m., I-70 closed at Hays, Kan.

Original story: Winter weather is inching its way toward the Kansas City area.

Currently, western Kansas is experiencing a winter storm.

I-70 was closed from Goodland west to the Colorado state line about 4:30 p.m. Saturday, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation. I-70 is also closed in eastern Colorado.

While temperatures were 42 degrees at 4 p.m. in Kansas City, Kan., temperatures are expected to drop as precipitation arrives later this afternoon and evening. There is a 60 percent chance of precipitation.

Starting with rain, precipitation will probably change to a rain and snow mix, according to the National Weather Service.

There will be a transition to snow that is expected to spread across the region. One to two inches of snow is expected tonight. Isolated areas may receive 3 inches of snow.

The snow will taper from southwest to northeast after midnight, according to the weather service.

Areas of blowing snow are expected tonight with brisk northwest winds after 10 p.m.

A winter weather advisory is in effect until 3 a.m. Sunday, the weather service said.

The expected snowfall may create some travel problems. Areas where the pavement is wet may be prone to the formation of black ice due to a flash freeze with the rapid onset of frigid temperatures, the weather service stated.
If this occurs very dangerous driving conditions would result, the weather service said.

Gusty northwest winds tonight and Sunday morning will send temperatures into the single digits to lower teens, resulting in wind chill readings from 10 to 15 below zero.

The weather service advised caution while walking or driving.

For up-to-date weather information, visit www.weather.gov.

Forecast for wind chill values Sunday morning. (National Weather Service graphic)
Forecast for wind chill values Sunday morning. (National Weather Service graphic)

Brother, sister win prizes in lottery

Charles Coats of Kansas City, Kan., received $20,000 from the Kansas Lottery today for a winning lottery ticket. His sister also recently won the lottery. (Photo from Kansas Lottery)
Charles Coats of Kansas City, Kan., received $20,000 from the Kansas Lottery today for a winning lottery ticket. His sister also recently won the lottery. (Photo from Kansas Lottery)

Charles Coats bought a handful of Kansas Lottery instant-win scratch tickets yesterday with a definite goal in mind.

“I wanted to see if I was going to have a lucky new year,” said the 40-year-old Kansas City, Kan., resident.

Coats soon found out that 2015 was indeed going to be an extremely lucky year for him. When he played one of his tickets, a $2 Double Bonus Crossword, he found a $20,000 top prize.

While winning that kind of money is pretty amazing, it’s even more amazing that Coats’ sister, Laticia Raine of Shawnee, won $75,000 about two months ago playing one of the Kansas Lottery’s $10 It’s All Cash tickets.

“I can’t believe it. That’s just plain weird,” Coats told Lottery officials. “And I was at my other sister’s house when I scratched my ticket, which is pretty strange, too.”

Coats said after double and triple checking it, Coats signed the back of his lucky ticket and stashed it in his safe until he was able to claim it today at Lottery headquarters in Topeka.

Coats, who is the father of a 10-year-old son Wyatt, plans to use his prize money to get out of debt. “After this, I won’t owe anything except my home mortgage,” he said.

The ticket was purchased at QuikTrip 242, located at 9530 Lackman Road in Lenexa. There are still 13 top prizes of $20,000 remaining in Double Bonus Crossword (Game 588), plus hundreds of thousands of other cash prizes. For more information visit www.kslottery.com.

Homicide victim identified

Michael A. Robinson, 53, a resident of Kansas City, Kan., was identified as the victim of a homicide Jan. 1 in the 1800 block of North 47th, police said today.

The death investigation now has been classified as a homicide, a police spokesman said.

Kansas City, Kan., police are investigating the case. Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS.