Highways and streets across the Panhandle are closed today with authorities urging everyone to stay home, even if they’re in town as plows try to dig out both in-town and rural routes.

All school districts in the Double Q Country/KCNB/KCOW listening area have canceled classes for Tuesday, as have Chadron State College and all 3 campuses of Western Nebraska Community College.

Decisions on whether classes resume Wednesday will be made later today. Sioux County schools and Loneman school on the Pine Ridge Reservation are planning a late start tomorrow, but those plans could change depending on how much snow continues to fall.

Most, if not all, government offices around the Panhandle…city, county, and state…are closed today with so-called “non-government organizations” such as Northwest Community Action Partnership also closed. Senior nutrition programs around the region are also closed today.

Virtually all events across the region have been canceled or postponed, most businesses are taking the day off, and health care providers…with the exception of hospital emergency rooms…are closed and appointments being rescheduled.