A powerful late-season blizzard swept through Saline County on March 19, bringing up to eight inches of heavy snow and wind gusts reaching 70 mph—just days after the region saw record-breaking temperatures of 85 degrees.
The storm, which began around 5 a.m. as a thunder-snow event, quickly shifted from rain to sleet before dumping dense snow across the area.
Despite the extreme weather, the long-anticipated switch of the Crete Police Department’s 911 dispatching system from Beatrice to Saline County took place as scheduled at 7 a.m., just hours after the storm began.
The blizzard left much of the county at a standstill. Roads became impassable due to poor visibility and large snowdrifts, and portions of Interstate 80 were shut down. Numerous vehicles, including a jackknifed semi east of Friend, were abandoned along highways.
Power outages affected the majority of Saline County residents. According to Norris Public Power District, at the height of the outage, approximately 60% of its customers were without electricity.
“While significant progress has been made, there is still work to be done,” the utility said in a statement. “Currently, 5% of our customers are still experiencing outages. Our teams are working diligently, in collaboration with mutual aid crews, to restore power as quickly as possible.”
Line crews continued work throughout the week, focusing on areas between Friend and Beaver Crossing, as well as near Dorchester. Heavy snow and high winds caused widespread damage to trees and power lines. Some residents and farms remained without power for up to a week.
Emergency shelters were opened at local hospitals and at the Saline Center on March 23 for those affected by extended outages.
