Rain showers, maybe some thunder, possible this Christmas in KC. What about snow?
Rain showers and maybe some thunder from a second wave of storms will make for a wet Christmas this year across the Kansas City area, according to the National Weather Service.
For those still hoping for a white Christmas, there is a low chance that snowflakes will mix in with the rain Christmas evening as temperatures cool.
“Accumulations or impactful winter weather looks unlikely given this system is cut off from accessing any colder air, but can’t completely rule out some snowflakes mixing in, especially in northwestern parts of the forecast area,” the weather service said in its forecast discussion.
For those last-minute shoppers, rainfall is expected to come to an end Friday morning with dry weather and above normal temperatures likely through Saturday, the weather service said.
Despite skies remaining cloudy, temperatures will climb into the upper 50s on Friday. Conditions will be dry and slightly warmer on Saturday with many locations, especially those along and south of Interstate 70, seeing temperatures in the lower 60s.
Usually, the Kansas City area sees high temperatures around 40 degrees, so it will be around 20 degrees above normal. The forecast for Kansas City calls for a high temperature of 62 degrees on Saturday, which is a few degrees below the record high of 67 set in 1933, the weather service said.
Rain chances are expected to return Saturday, increasing quickly after sunset. By Christmas Eve morning, rain chances jump to 90 to 100% across the region. The rain is expected to continue into Christmas Day. There is also a small chance for rumbles of thunder overnight, the weather service said.
Rain will persist throughout the day Monday, with temperatures in the mid-40s. Additional rainfall is possible Christmas night and Tuesday. Some snow could mix in, but accumulations are not expected.
Between 1.5 and 2 inches of rain is expected from the storms, with some areas possibly seeing higher amounts. Minor river flooding is possible.
Dry weather is expected for the second half of the week, the weather service said.
