Photos show life in Kansas City before and after 60-degree overnight temperature drop
By Tammy Ljungblad and
Emily Curiel
Folks in Kansas City are used to sudden changes in the weather, but forecasts for an extreme change in conditions from Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday morning seemed nearly impossible and maybe even cruel.
For several days meteorologists at the National Weather Service were telling the public that temperatures in the Kansas City area would climb into the 70s and possibly set a new record high for Feb. 27. Tuesday was on course to be the second day in a row for a new record high after the temperature on Monday in Kansas City reached 77 degrees breaking a record that was set in 1896.
Sometime close to 2 p.m. on Tuesday the temperature climbed to 73 degrees which tied the record high set in 2016.
Tuesday was on course to get even warmer with it’s clear skies and strong southerly winds. That was until Kansas City’s taste of false spring came to a screeching halt with the arrival of a fast moving cold front that swept into the area between 3 and 4 p.m. It is exactly what meteorologists predicted.
Cold air pushed by powerful northerly winds left no doubt that it was still winter. The temperature plummeted like a ride on the Zambezi Zinger.
With the arrival of the front, temperatures dropped by double digits within an hour. Clouds moved in and by nightfall intermittent flurries were dropping snow on the lawn of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art where people had been sunbathing only hours before.
By the time most of Kansas City was waking up on Wednesday, a dusting of snow covered the ground in some areas and the record-tying 73-degree moment less than 24 hours before was more than 60 degrees warmer than an unofficial morning low of 12 degrees recorded at Kansas City International Airport.
The forecast for Wednesday calls for a high of 39 degrees.
Here are photos showing people in Kansas City enjoying the warmth of Tuesday afternoon and how they were dealing with the bitter cold Wednesday morning.
Taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather, Jessika Henchek of Shawnee, relaxes on the hill and reads in a spot overlooking the lake at Shawnee Mission Park on Tuesday Feb. 27, 2024, in Shawnee, Kansas. Henchek, who works in a luxury pet hotel, says she always tries to get outside when the weather is nice. Tammy Ljungblad tljungblad@kcstar.com
Kyle Berry and Sarah Motter of Shawnee walked along the path at Antioch Park enjoying the unseasonably warm weather before a cold front moved in Tuesday in Merriam. Tammy Ljungblad tljungblad@kcstar.com
Ethan Musee, 9, held hands with his father, Samuel Musee as they carefully navigated the steps across the lake at Antioch Park while enjoying the unseasonably warm weather before a cold front moved in Tuesday in Merriam.. The pair were visiting the park with mom, wife, Belinda Musee. The family lives in Lenexa. Tammy Ljungblad tljungblad@kcstar.com
A visitor sunbathes on the front lawn of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art on Tuesday in Kansas City. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
Charlotte Malone listens to music while sunbathing on the front lawn of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art on Tuesday in Kansas City. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
It was a blustery ride for Billy, a Cairn Terrier, who rode with his owner, Anita Shearman of Overland Park, around Meadowbrook Park on Tuesday in Prairie Village. Shearman was out enjoying the warm weather before a cold front blew in and caused temperatures to plummet. Tammy Ljungblad tljungblad@kcstar.com
After daytime temperatures in the 70s, a cold front was seen Tuesday moving into the Lenexa area. The front brought winter-like temperatures back to the region. Tammy Ljungblad Tljungblad@kcstar.com
One day after temperatures hit the mid-70s, Jason Rushing of Rising Construction, was bundled against the bitter cold as he worked traffic control on the KC Streetcar expansion along Main Street near Pershing Road on Feb. 28, 2024, in Kansas City. Tammy Ljungblad tljungblad@kcstar.com
Construction worker Edwin Abarca was bundled against the bitter cold Wednesday as he worked on the KC Streetcar expansion along Main Street near Pershing Road in Kansas City. Tammy Ljungblad tljungblad@kcstar.com
One day after temperatures hit the mid-70s, construction workers were bundled against the bitter cold Wednesday as their work continued on the KC Streetcar expansion along Main Street near Pershing Road in Kansas City Tammy Ljungblad tljungblad@kcstar.com
This story was originally published February 28, 2024 at 8:59 AM.
