Kansas City winter storm: Forecast tweaked, snowfall and timing explained
Kansas City is in for a long-lasting blast of winter, with several inches of snow expected to blanket the metro this weekend and bitter cold sticking around long after the storm moves on, according to a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Between 4 and 8 inches of snow are in the forecast, the National Weather Service says, but it won’t all come at once.
While most eyes are on the snow, it’s the bitter cold that will reach Kansas City first, arriving Friday — well before the flakes begin to fall.
“Throughout the day today, we’re just looking at very, very cold temperatures,” said Brad Temeyer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Kansas City. “Temperatures will actually be falling throughout the day as that Arctic air settles into the region.”
Wind chills across the Kansas City metro are expected to hover around minus 10 degrees and might remain below zero until around noon Sunday.
Farther north along the Iowa-Missouri border, wind chills could hit minus 25 degrees Friday morning. That area will be under an extreme cold warning until noon, followed by a cold weather advisory until noon Saturday.
Temperatures in the metro will be around 11 degrees Friday, eight degrees Saturday, and 14 degrees Sunday. Overnight temperatures will dip near or below zero.
Snow Timing: What to Expect and When
There have been a couple of changes in the weather service’s forecast as the storm system works its way out of the southwestern U.S., including the expected timing and amount of snow.
The system is encountering a lot of dry air initially, so the time snowflakes are expected to begin falling in the Kansas City area has shifted.
“So, midnight, early Saturday morning is when we’re expecting the snow to start,” Temeyer said.
Don’t wake up early Saturday morning expecting to see all 4 to 8 inches of snow on the ground.
“You should see some snow out there, but it won’t be the impressive totals that we’re expecting,” Temeyer said.
The storm is a prolonged event, with the snowfall coming in chunks.
“So the first chunk is going to come on Saturday morning,” Temeyer said. “Then we may see a break in the midday hours, even into Saturday afternoon, before the second chunk kind of works its way in.”
The next wave will bring an additional round of snow Saturday night into Sunday morning, Temeyer said. It is with this wave that Kansas City will see its greatest accumulations.
Snow accumulations will depend on whether that break occurs, Temeyer said. If that break is prolonged, the metro will see snowfall totals closer to 4 inches. If the break is shorter or doesn’t happen, then snowfall totals will be closer to 6 to 8 inches.
There will also be a sharp geographic gradient.
“The higher snow amounts are going to be on the south side of the metro, and the lower snow amounts will generally be across the northern metro,” Temeyer said.
In addition, the metro is expecting a prolonged period of cold weather that will last through much of next week.
“So this snow will probably be sticking around at least until next weekend, if not even longer,” Temeyer said, adding that it is not typical for Kansas City.
Will Roads Be Slick? Here’s What to Expect
Because the snow is coming in waves, Temeyer said people should still be able to get around Saturday morning, but travel will definitely be impacted. Drivers should expect slick roads, especially since this snow will be dry and powdery, which often leads to slipperier conditions.
“You’ll still want to drive with caution and probably allow extra time in reaching your destination if you need to travel,” Temeyer said.
He also suggested people have a winter weather survival kit, including snacks, water, extra gloves and a shovel in case they slide off the road into a ditch.
Temeyer said the main keys to this storm are that it will be a prolonged snow event, with waves throughout the weekend. The heaviest snowfall is expected Saturday morning and again Sunday morning, with the heaviest amounts Sunday.
Then there will be that prolonged cold period on the backside.
This story was originally published January 23, 2026 at 8:24 AM.
