Kansas City metro plunges into deep freeze, several inches of snow possible. Here’s when
As snow begins to fall in the Kansas City region, residents are preparing for more, the National Weather Service warns that cold temperatures will continue to plunge the region into a deep freeze even after the skies clear.
The weather service has predicted that four to seven inches will fall across the Kansas City area throughout Tuesday, with six to nine inches expected south of the metro and a lighter snowfall to the north.
The heaviest accumulation, expected to be between three to five inches, is forecasted for Tuesday. The NWS is now also predicting that another four inches of snow could fall by this evening.
A light dusting of snow fell overnight Monday into Tuesday to usher in the larger storm. At Kansas City International Airport, 0.9 inches of snow had accumulated by noon, according to the NWS. Roads north of Interstate 70, up past St. Joseph and Maryville and into southern Iowa, were covered in snow by 10:30 a.m. and are not expected to clear anytime Monday, the NWS said. Tuesday’s snowfall will be the heaviest in that area, with the NWS predicting five to nine inches.
As of 10:45 a.m., some roads northeast of Kansas City in Clay, Ray and Saline counties were also partially covered, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.
“Continue to watch for changing conditions, plan your route ahead of time, and give crews plenty of room to work,” the department wrote on X.
As of 3 p.m., some area schools had announced closures for Tuesday based on snowfall predictions, including the Leavenworth, Fort Leavenworth and Tonganoxie school districts. Kansas City facilities will also be closed Tuesday and Wednesday, with municipal court hearings moving online.
The city has also canceled trash and bulky items pickup for Tuesday and Wednesday ahead of the snowfall. To compensate, residents who have Monday and Tuesday trash pickup will be allowed two extra bags without tags during their next scheduled pickup.
The NWS described the coming days Monday as “an active weather week,” noting on social media that frigid temperatures are expected to follow the snow. A cold weather advisory begins Tuesday with expected windchill between minus 15 and minus 25 degrees. Temperatures will drop between minus 10 and minus 20 degrees by Thursday, the NWS said, with an extreme cold watch in effect and a potential windchill of minus 30 degrees.
Kansas City officials recommend that residents keep a thin stream of water flowing from their faucets during freezing temperatures. Residents are also encouraged to disconnect outside hoses at their homes and make sure they know where their water shut-off valves are.
Nine low-barrier emergency shelters will be open throughout the week as wintry conditions worsen, the city shared in a Monday news release. Anyone who wants to access shelter services should go to Hope Faith Homelessness Assistance Campus at 705 Virginia Ave. in Kansas City to be directed to a shelter site and access other resources.
This story was originally published February 17, 2025 at 4:02 PM.
