Winter storm being called ‘unique,’ ‘impactful.’ Here’s what it holds for Kansas City
An approaching winter storm system that’s expected to sweep across the Kansas City area Friday is being labeled “unique” and “impactful” by the National Weather Service in Kansas City.
The storm is expected to bring between 2 and 4 inches of snow along with wind gusts as high as 40 mph to Kansas City, leading to slippery road conditions. Patchy blowing snow could also significantly reduce visibility, according to the weather service.
A winter weather advisory has been issued for the Kansas City area that is in effect from 6 p.m. Friday to noon Saturday.
“If you must head out use extreme caution particularly tonight into Saturday morning as roads may become slick,” the weather service said on Twitter.
Areas north of Kansas City will see heavier snowfalls. Up to 8 inches of snow is possible across north-central and northeastern Missouri. A winter weather warning has been issued for that area, which will be in effect from 3 p.m. until noon Saturday.
Rain is expected to begin falling in the Kansas City area around noon. As a cold front associated with the system crashes south into eastern Kansas and Missouri Friday evening, the rain will transition over to snow.
The transition over to a rain-snow mix is expected to begin around 6 p.m. in St. Joseph and around 9 p.m. in Kansas City. The snow is expected to continue falling overnight into Saturday. The snow is expected to move out of the area Saturday afternoon.
Strong winds are expected behind the cold front, which could lead to blowing snow at times.
Temperatures are expected to fall into the mid-20s Saturday afternoon. The wind, however, will make it feel more like the lower teens. Temperatures overnight Saturday will fall to around 10 degrees before they climb to the mid-30s Sunday afternoon.
