Black ice causes slick roads, crashes as Kansas City recovers from October snowstorm
The morning rush hour was getting off to a messy start Thursday as black ice from an early winter storm created slick road conditions and caused numerous crashes across the Kansas City metro area.
“Getting reports from law enforcement that I-49 south of Belton is extremely slick due to black ice with 5 slide offs in the last hour,” the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill said on Twitter about 5:30 a.m.
“Please use caution as the wet roads last night have become iced covered roads this morning as temps dropped 8-10 degrees last night.”
“If the road looks wet, assume there could be ice,” the weather service said in a special weather statement.
Road temperatures fell into the mid- to upper 20s, so any surfaces that have not been treated could develop black ice, especially bridges, overpasses and entrance and exit ramps.
Multiple crashes were being reported across the Kansas City metro, including on southbound U.S. 71, which was closed south of 85th Street after a multiple-vehicle crash, and northbound Interstate 35 at Interstate 435 in Claycomo, which was closed after a crash.
Pedestrians should use extra caution on sidewalks and parking lots. RideKC was urging transit riders to use caution as they were stepping on and off buses.
Grain Valley Schools announced they were delaying the start of school by two hours Thursday because of the icy roads. Bus routes will run two hours later than usual. Early childhood sessions start at 10 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.
“We are dealing with a freeze warning from now through mid-morning and it is going to be cold outside,” said FOX4 meteorologist Karli Ritter, who provides weather updates to The Star. “Temperatures have dipped well below freezing; wind chills are in the teens.”
Temperatures will rebound later Thursday to around 40 degrees with ample sunshine, Ritter said.
“That will help melt this fresh coating of snow that’s on the ground,” Ritter said. “By the time we hit our trick-or-treating forecast, it will be cold, but we should be nice and dry.”
Temperatures this evening are expected to drop back into the 30s with wind chills in the 20s once the sun goes down, Ritter said.
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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.
Before the warm up, drivers were being urged to use caution, especially on side streets, bridges and overpasses.
“Drive like a pot of your favorite chili is sitting on the front seat!” the weather service included in a road conditions graphic on Twitter.
In a special weather statement, the weather service said road temperatures fell into the mid- to upper 20s, so any surfaces that have not been treated could develop black ice, especially bridges, overpasses and entrance and exit ramps.
“If the road looks wet, assume there could be ice,” the weather service said.
The winter storm dumped a record snowfall for Oct. 30 of .9 of an inch of snow at Kansas City International Airport, the official climate site for the metro. The previous record was a trace of snow set in 1993.
This story was originally published October 31, 2019 at 6:16 AM.
