Wind chill warning issued for Kansas City area: ‘Historic and dangerously cold’ temps
The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill warning for the Kansas City area that goes into effect Saturday evening.
The warning comes as “historic and dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills are expected to peak” over the next several days, the weather service said. Starting at 6 p.m., the wind chill warning goes into effect.
That’s followed by a winter weather advisory that goes into effect at 6 a.m. Sunday until 6 p.m. Monday. Snow accumulations could range from 1 to 3 inches.
Wind chills could be as low as -30 on Sunday. The cold, the weather service said, could cause frostbite on exposed skin in less than 30 minutes.
Heading into the work week, Monday temperatures could feel as low as -32 degrees in northeast Kansas and northwestern Missouri, FOX4 told The Star in its daily weather update.
The warnings apply for east central and northeast Kansas, as well as north central, northwest, and west central Missouri.
Slippery road conditions should be expected and could impact the morning or evening commute, the weather service said.
Headed later into the week, we will see “tremendous improvements, finally getting above 15 degrees,” FOX4 meteorologist Alex Countee said. Wednesday will be the first time reaching those temperatures in about a week and a half. Temperatures are expected to rise above freezing Friday with widespread sunshine.
How to help others this winter
The cold is not letting up, and Kansas Citians without houses are in need of warmth and care. Area warming centers and shelters are looking for volunteers and donations as the winter months take hold.
The Scott Eicke Warming Center at Bartle Hall is need of volunteers, who can sign up for a block of time online.
Donations needed at the Bartle Hall center include rubber gloves and winter gloves as well as handwarmers. It is also in need of more hand sanitizer and masks. Financial donations to help supply bedding can be made through GoFundMe.
Street Medicine KC, located at 1444 East 8th Street, told The Star it is most in need of financial donations at this time. The warming center, located at 1444 East 8th street, is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Donations can be made through their website or venmo at @streetmedicinekc. The center is also in need of toilet paper, coats, men’s jeans, belts, size 12 and 13 shoes and “anything and everything warm.”
ReStart Inc, at 918 East 9th Street, needs new or used blankets, towels and sheets. Donations can also be made through their website, or on their Amazon wishlist.
A list of other Kansas City shelters can be found here.
The Star’s Anna Spoerre and Savanna Smith contributed reporting.
