Road conditions slide downhill fast as sleet, freezing rain fall in KC area
Morning commuters should be well aware of road conditions as sleet and freezing rain fall, according to FOX4 meteorologist Karli Ritter.
All of Friday morning’s precipitation is sleet or freezing rain because the temperatures are well below freezing, according to Ritter, who provides weather updates to The Star.
“Our road conditions are going downhill rapidly,” Ritter said. “Our temperatures are well below freezing and everything that’s falling is sleet or freezing rain.”
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The Star produced this weather update in partnership with the local FOX4 television station. The station’s meteorologists create forecast videos multiple times a day for the newspaper to include in its weather reports.
Nearly 40 schools and a few local health departments closed on Friday, according to The Star’s weather closing list.
According to the National Weather Service, Kansas City could see up to a quarter of an inch of freezing rain and 1 1/2 inches of snow. Areas farther north like St. Joseph could see more than 2 1/2 inches of snow.
Ritter said that is resulting in slick spots everywhere that’s elevated or untreated.
However, temperatures should be above freezing by 3 or 4 p.m. That means the precipitation will transition to rain, Ritter said.
“If you are getting out this morning, you have got to pad in extra time because we have a big mess unfolding across the metro,” Ritter said.
There’s also a chance of a wintry mix Saturday morning, she said.
This story was originally published January 17, 2020 at 6:45 AM.