Dec 12 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Stan Finger The Wichita Eagle, Kan.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has requested a federal emergency disaster declaration for all 105 Kansas counties as a result of the ice storm that struck the state earlier this week.

"Based on the number of power lines and poles reported down so far, and the amount of debris that will need to be cleared, it will be important that we have federal support available to our communities," Sebelius said. "Our focus at this time is on meeting the immediate needs of Kansans; however, we will further assess the financial impact of the storm in the days ahead."

The storm rolled into Kansas Monday night, and more than 115,000 customers were without electricity at one point Tuesday as the storm system continued its march through the state. As of Wednesday morning, more than 75,000 Westar customers were still without power.

Utility crews from 10 states have converged on Kansas or are on their way to assist Westar with power restoration. More than 200 linemen arrived Tuesday, Westar officials reported, and nearly 500 more are expected today.

It could be several days before power is restored in the hardest-hit areas, Westar officials warned. More than half of Westar's outages are in four counties: Riley, Geary, Shawnee and Reno.

More than 13,000 customers in Riley County were without electricity as 9:30 a.m. neared; more than 11,100 were dark in Shawnee, and another 10,200 were reported in Reno. Geary County reported more than 8,150 outages.

Wichita escaped the worst of the storm, as most of the inch of rain that fell did not freeze. The city's streets were "just fine" for the morning commute Wednesday, a Sedgwick County dispatcher reported.

The region can expect a break from wintry precipitation for the next couple of days, forecasters say. Skies will be mostly cloudy today, with a high around freezing in the Wichita area.

Thursday should warm to near 40 under mostly sunny skies, before snow enters the forecast for Friday.

Check Kansas.com for updates.

Reach Stan Finger at 316-268-6437 or sfinger@wichitaeagle.com.