Freezing drizzle coats roads across KC metro. Here’s when driving conditions will worsen
Freezing drizzle and sleet have begun to cover roads across the Kansas City metro in a glaze of ice, creating difficult driving conditions which will worsen as the day progresses, the National Weather Service said.
Treacherous road conditions will get worse as freezing drizzle intensifies Saturday afternoon and evening, according to Brett Williams, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Kansas City. The drizzle and sleet is expected to transition to heavy snow and possibly blizzard-like conditions Sunday.
“I would expect road conditions to start to get a little more rough shape as we head into the late afternoon hours,” Williams said. “But they will definitely become much, much worse shape most likely tomorrow once we change over to snow, especially once we get some of the heavy snow and blowing snow that we are expecting tomorrow morning.”
As of 4 p.m. Saturday, several law enforcement agencies across the metro have responded to crashes on major roads.
Sgt. Phil DiMartino, a spokesman with the Kansas City Police Department, said the department is seeing a significant uptick in calls for service for vehicle accidents.
“Many of the highways are becoming impassable,” DiMartino said.
According to the National Weather Service in Kansas City, persistent freezing conditions will cause road treatments to lose their effectiveness. Drivers should use extreme caution, Williams said.
Several law enforcement agencies have posted on social media advising drivers to take precautions for travel—and advising the public to only drive if absolutely necessary.
“As expected, (crashes) are occurring on highways. The light precipitation is starting to freeze on the roadways. Please strongly consider whether or not you need to be out this afternoon and evening,” the Lenexa Police Department said on Facebook.
DiMartino said that if it is necessary for someone to travel, they should ensure they have a full tank of gas, extra clothes or blankets, and ice scrapers or shovels. People should keep mobile devices charged and check in on friends and family as the storm progresses.
“It’s important to remember that even a four-wheel drive vehicle is no match for ice,” DiMartino said.
Kansas City City Manager Brian Platt posted on X about the dangerous travel conditions.
“Local/city streets are the safest route for now,” Platt said on X. “Highway 71 is particularly bad.”
Williams said freezing drizzle and some sleet will continue into Saturday evening. Overnight Saturday, widespread sleet is possible, Williams said. Then snow is changing over to snow as we get into early Sunday morning hours.
This story was originally published January 4, 2025 at 4:06 PM.
