The western half of the state is digging out following a major snow storm.

Western Kansas was under winter storm and blizzard warnings for much of the weekend as some areas west of Dodge City and Liberal received more than 14 inches of snow.

Interstate-70 west of Salina and several state and U.S. highways in the western part of the state were closed due to the heavy snow.

The Kansas National Guard was activated to help motorists stranded on snow-covered roads.

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ORIGINAL: A spring storm has blanketed western Kansas with snow. Combined with wind gusting up to 60 miles per hour, it has created blizzard conditions and prompted Interstate 70 to be closed in both directions west of Salina.

Thomas County Emergency Management reported Sunday morning that a National Guard Smart Team was rescuing stranded motorists on I-70 in Thomas County.

The National Weather Service says that 6 to 14 inches of snow is possible in some areas of northwest Kansas. By Sunday morning as much as 11 inches of snow had been confirmed in some areas.

Grant County Emergency Management was reporting 11 inches of snow, with 2 to 4 foot drifts. All county roads were closed. Highway 25 and US 160 were also closed from Ulysses.

Snow could reach as far east as Russell and Great Bend with slushy accumulations of up to around one inch, mainly on grassy surfaces.

At the same time, the same storm system has dropped heavy rain in parts of eastern Kansas. Flooding of rivers, streams and creeks is continuing from southeastern Kansas into the Ozarks.

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