Will Alaska be warmer than Kansas City? Here’s what National Weather Service had to say
Kansas Citians looking to avoid the bitter cold that is descending upon the metro might want to consider a warmer climate — like the one north in Anchorage, Alaska, according to the National Weather Service.
“Balmy Alaska anyone??” the National Weather Service in Kansas City asked in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
There, temperatures will be significantly warmer than what they are expected to be in Kansas City the next for days. Even the low temperatures will be warmer than the metro’s highest temperature.
Anchorage is looking at daily temperatures climbing into the 20s on most days through Tuesday. Overnight temperatures in Anchorage will be in teens and 20s. Tuesday is the exception, when temperatures there will range from a low of 9 degrees to a high of 18 degrees.
Kansas City, however, will be dealing with temperatures at or near or below zero.
Temperatures at Kansas City International Airport have fallen from 27 degrees shortly after midnight to 10 degrees as of 1 p.m. The wind chill was minus 7 degrees.
Strong northwest winds are ushering arctic air into the Kansas City region.
“We are forecasting wind chills to rise back above zero next Wednesday,” the weather service said in a separate post on X, noting that wasn’t a typo. “Seriously, bundle up and dress in layers if you have to go out.”
Meanwhile, a band of snow was pushing towards the Kansas City area from the west Friday afternoon.
The University of Kansas Health System’s emergency department said it has seen 30 patients, ranging in age from 15 to 88 years old, since Tuesday with weather-related problems. Four were admitted to the hospital.
The conditions included frostbite, shortness of breath from snow shoveling, motor vehicle accidents and slipping and falling on the ice.
Two patients had been found in the snow. One of them died while the other has since been discharged, the hospital said.
Doctors were warning people to stay indoors as much as possible. They also noted that fans headed to the NFL playoff game between the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs should be aware that there will be seven first aid stations at Arrowhead Stadium.
Gloves and hand warmers will be available for children. People should be careful with their consumption of alcohol because it could be dangerous for some people in cold weather.
People should also wear clean clothes, avoid overheating, use two or more layers and stay dry.
Frostbite is the main concern, and medical experts say heading back into the cold is one of the worst things a person can do.
Signs and symptoms of frostbite include cold skin with a prickling feeling; numbness; skin that looks red, white, bluish-white, grayish-yellow, purplish, brown, gray or ashen depending on the severity and complexion; hard waxy-looking skin; clumsiness due to joint and muscle stiffness and blistering after rewarming in severe cases, according to the Mayo Clinic.
This story was originally published January 12, 2024 at 2:58 PM.
