It doesn’t look like much now, but the snow storm predicted to hit the Hays area has just begun, according to the National Weather Service.

Jeff Johnson, a Dodge City NWS meteorologist, said early Tuesday morning that intermittent, heavier snow will continue much of the day. Forecasters still are calling for 6-plus inches of snow in the Hays area.

“It should taper off by mid- to late afternoon,” Johnson said.

The storm, which originated as an upper-level storm system from the desert southwest, is working its way northeast, from Oklahoma across Kansas.

The hardest hit area of the state, Johnson said, will be from the Wichita area to Salina.

Wind associated with the storm should not be too much of a factor, he added.

“There will be a little bit of blowing, but not too much,” Johnson said.

What follows might be worse, however. When the snow stops, the temperature is predicted to drop quickly.

“It’s supposed to get really cold by … Wednesday,” Johnson said, noting that it will struggle to reach 10 degrees from Dodge City to Hays. Overnight Wednesday, the lows could drop below zero and the area will be a deep freeze for “at least 48 to 60 hours.”

“The temperatures are going to be so cold that the wind chill will start getting pretty dangerous even with a little bit of wind,” Johnson said.

The upside with any precipitation is some measure of drought relief, although Johnson said because of the low temperature it will be a “drier snow.”

“There will be some decent moisture though,” he said.

For an up-to-date listing of snow-related cancellations and delays, click HERE.