Cold, snow, rain threaten Kansas City area’s post-Thanksgiving travel plans
A cold Thanksgiving is expected in Kansas City, but an approaching winter storm could become an unwelcome guest, threatening to disrupt post-holiday travel this weekend.
A low-pressure system moving east allowed cold Canadian air to sweep into the Kansas City area overnight, aided by fairly strong winds. The winds are expected to settle down as the system exits the region; however, the cold air will remain in place, according to the National Weather Service.
Temperatures across the region are expected to climb to only the low to mid-40s. In the metro, temperatures are forecast to be around 42 degrees, which is well below the seasonal average of 49 degrees.
Dry weather and below-normal temperatures are expected to continue through the holiday, with temperatures around 43 degrees in the metro on Thanksgiving Day. Temperatures for evening events will be in the mid-30s.
Winter storm to track across the country
A change in the weather is expected late in the week, as a strong winter storm system is forecast to move onshore from the Pacific Northwest on Thanksgiving Day before tracking across the country.
“Confidence is increasing in impactful weather for the weekend after Thanksgiving,” the weather service said. “Rain, mixed precipitation, and snow are possible. Both road and air travel are likely to be impacted.”
Clouds are expected to increase on Friday ahead of the storm, with highs near 42 degrees. Rain is likely to begin after midnight and continue into Saturday.
Forecast models continue to show that most of the Kansas City area will remain in the warmer part of the storm system, with temperatures in the 40s.
North of U.S. 36 in northern Missouri, colder temperatures may lead to accumulating snow, with some areas in far northeast Missouri seeing 2 to 3 inches.
Areas to the south and west may see some snow, but warmer temperatures are expected to limit accumulations, according to the weather service.
Travel plans could be disrupted
Travelers should prepare for possible delays in both ground and air travel during the busy post-Thanksgiving weekend.
While heavy snowfall is not expected for much of the Kansas City area, rain and a wintry mix could make driving and flying more difficult — especially on Saturday, the weather service said.
There is still uncertainty about exactly where the warm and cold portions of the storm will set up. For now, it appears that the center of the system will move through the Kansas City metro, putting the warm front toward the Kirksville area and the cold side north and west near Omaha.
“As the cold side of the system progresses through the region Saturday afternoon, it would not be surprising to see some snowfall and even potential accumulation on grassy areas,” the weather service said.
Forecast models put the potential for the Kansas City metro to see more than a tenth of an inch of snow at about 20%, while areas around St. Joseph have a 40% chance.
Temperatures in the metro are expected to be in the low 40s on Friday and the mid-40s on Saturday.
The wintry precipitation is expected to roll out of the area Saturday evening, leaving behind a cold Sunday that should help resolve any travel disruptions from Friday and Saturday, the weather service said.
More snow in KC’s forecast next week
Although it will be sunny on Sunday, temperatures will remain below normal, reaching a high of around 29 degrees.
Forecasts show another chance for snow on Monday, mainly across southern Kansas and into Missouri along and south of Interstate 70, the weather service said. There could be 1 to 2 inches of snow, but the exact amounts and locations remain uncertain.
Additional weather systems are possible next week, further establishing a shift towards winter weather.
