BEATRICE – That system of widespread heavy snow forecast for southeast Nebraska was late in arriving, and had dropped smaller amounts in some areas as of early Thursday.

The Beatrice area had begun getting snow at around two a.m. and had received only an inch or two by four a.m. But the snow picked up in intensity by six a.m., with four inches on the ground by then.  National Weather forecasters initially projected as much as five to nine inches of snow for the area that was placed under a winter storm warning.

Forecasters had reduced the expected amount of snow in Beatrice early today, to a range of three to seven inches before the storm moves away.

Areas from York, to Lincoln to Omaha were anticipating four to seven inches of snow. There was an isolated report of nine inches of snow falling near Bennington...with nearly seven inches near Gretna. Seven inches of snow was also reported at mid-morning, near Friend, Nebraska.

Farther north, a sharp drop-off in snow amounts was expected.