Bitter cold, light snow likely as quick moving winter storm passes through Kansas City
A quick moving winter storm is expected to move into the Kansas City area overnight, bringing light snow and dangerously cold wind chills, according to the National Weather Service in Kansas City.
Although only light snow is expected overnight, what does fall could cause slick road conditions for the morning commute on Thursday.
Temperatures fell into the lower teens early Wednesday at Kansas City International Airport as wind chills plunged to near zero degrees. Temperatures will rebound only to the mid-20s, far from the near 50 degree temperatures the metro experienced Tuesday.
Besides the colder conditions, the weather will remain quiet for the daylight hours, according to the weather service.
Light snow, however, will move into eastern Kansas this evening and gradually spread to the east overnight. Minor accumulations of a dusting to two inches of snow is possible, according to the weather service.
“There has been a slight southward shift in model solutions with respect to the highest totals,” the weather service said in its forecast discussion. “The biggest forecast challenge is projecting spatially where a narrow swath (30-50 miles wide) of 1-2” snowfall will occur.”
The latest forecast indicates the swath of snow will be just south of the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Although the snowfall is expected to end before sunrise Thursday, drivers should be prepared for a slow morning commute on Thursday. Road conditions could become slick, the weather service said.
Bitterly cold temperatures, however, will settle in the area until Friday. Overnight temperatures are expected to plunge into the single digits. Temperatures on Thursday will barely reach the teens before falling back into the single digits at night. Wind chills in the Kansas City area are expected to be around zero to -10 degrees.
Warmer conditions are expected Saturday with temperatures climbing to near 50 degrees.
