KEARNEY, Neb. — Weather officials are telling Nebraskans to brace for the most significant storm of the winter season.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for counties in the eastern two-thirds of the state, including all of south-central Nebraska. The warning will be in effect from 6:00 a.m. Monday through 9:00 a.m. Tuesday.

The NWS Hastings Office says to expect between four to nine inches of snow but warns that localized higher amounts are possible. Forecasters predict winds to gust 20-25 mph on Monday morning before rising to as high as 50 mph in the afternoon and evening hours. Wind speeds could remain steady at 25-35 mph throughout Tuesday morning.

The NWS says that snow is most likely to fall during the daytime and evening hours on Monday and could fall at a rate of one or two inches per hour. Forecasters expect the snow to start out wet and become more dry and fluffy as the storm continues.

In response to the extreme forecast, multiple school districts have canceled classes for Monday, including Kearney Public Schools and Elm Creek Public Schools.

After the storm, Central Nebraska will experience the coldest temperatures of the season. The NWS says wind chill values could drop below zero on Thursday and dip as low as -20 degrees on Friday and through the weekend.