Here’s how to prepare for the waves of snow, dangerous cold expected in Kansas City
With several waves of snow and sub-zero temperatures bearing down on Kansas City, it almost feels as if winter is taking all of its frustrations out on the metro this week.
Snow accumulations won’t be much, but roads are expected to be icy and hazardous each time the snow falls. It’s the brutal frigid temperatures — -9 degrees, possibly colder — that pose the greater dangers.
“Later on today, we’re going to be talking about another cold forecast: our highs are going to be closer to 10 degrees, give or take a few degrees, and it’s going to feel like it’s below zero most of the day with the wind chill factored in,” said FOX4 meteorologist Karli Ritter, who provides weather updates to The Star.
Snow returns Wednesday, but it won’t be a widespread event.
“But like a lot of the recent events, it will cause issues on the roads,” Ritter said. “We’re talking about snow picking up midday during the afternoon and for some of us, this could be lingering through the drive home which could be problematic given how cold it’s going to be again tomorrow.”
The snow and cold has packed a one-two punch to Kansas City area drivers, who have been sliding off the roads and into each other as area roads and highways have become icy.
Kansas City police reported that it received 104 calls between midnight and 9 .m. Tuesday regarding crashes due to the poor road conditions. Between 12:01 a.m. Monday and 9 a.m. Tuesday, police had received 469 calls about wrecks.
“Use caution and stay home if you can!” Kansas City police said.
Some areas will only see a dusting of snow, while others will pick up between one and two inches, on Wednesday. A similar situation will happen on Thursday, Ritter said.
“And then we trend much colder heading into the weekend with another potential snow event on Saturday,” she said. “And if we clear out Sunday morning, this -9 will likely be double digits below zero. Regardless it is going to be bitterly cold for the next seven days with no real improvements in sight.”
Road conditions are not the only concern with the sub-zero weather conditions. There are steps homeowners should consider.
“We are facing frigid temps across the metro, which can cause pipes in vulnerable areas to freeze and burst, resulting in costly damage,” David Mehlhaff, Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Public Utilities’ chief communications officer, said in a release. “By simply running a pencil-thin stream of water overnight, customers can avoid frozen pipes.”
Taking that precaution when temperatures turn bitterly cold overnight, people will use about two gallons of water an evening, which is less costly than a frozen or burst pipe, Mehlhaff said.
People should also open cabinet doors to expose pipes to warmer room temperatures, eliminate cold air near water lines and protect exposed pipes with insulation or electrical heat tracing wire. People should also refresh their memory on where the water shut-off value is in case a pipe freezes or bursts, he said.
In case pipes freeze or bursts, residents should shut off the water immediately because freezing can cause unseen cracks in pipes or joints. People should then apply heat to frozen pipes by warming the air around or applying heat directly to them with a hair dryer, space heater or hot water. Do not use kerosene heater or open flames.
Once pipes have thawed, turn the water back on slowly, checking for leaks and cracks. People who are away during the prolonged cold snap should have someone check to make sure the heat is working and pipes have not frozen.
Several animal groups — Great Plains SPCA, Kansas City, Kansas, Animal Services and the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City — issued a warning via social media to pet owners and animal advocates about pets dying from exposure to the frigid weathers.
They urged pet owners to protect their pets by bringing them inside and giving them warm and dry shelter and access to water. They also asked people to report animals in danger to their local animal control agencies.
“Temperatures this week are expected to drop well below zero,” Tam Singer, chief executive officer of the Great Plains SPCA, said in the release. “Like people, cats and dogs are susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia and should be kept inside. Being left outside in these conditions is life-threatening for any dog or cat, even those with heavy coats.”
For supplies including fresh straw, coats, dog houses and other items contact:
▪ Great Plains SPCA at (913) 831-7722 or info@greatplainsspca.org.
▪ Kansas City, Kansas, Animal Services during business hours at (913) 321-1445 or after hours at (913) 596-3000.
▪ Humane Society of Greater Kansas City at (913) 596-1000 or outreach@hsgkc.org.
If pet owners are no longer able to look after their outside pet and wishes to rehome it contact lhacker@greatplainsspca.org.
The U.S. Postal Service in Kansas City also was asking people to help mail carriers delivering letters and packages by:
▪ Keeping pathways to the porches and mailboxes clear.
▪ Keeping all pets inside and away from the front door.
▪ Keeping porch lights on in the early morning and late afternoon and early evenings.
▪ Maintaining social distancing as they deliver packages at the doorsteps.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHow we did this story
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.
This story was originally published February 9, 2021 at 1:49 PM.
