Weather News

Plunging temperatures, snow flurries ahead: How cold will it get in Kansas City?

Though snow flurries are possible through early next week, the top concern for the Kansas City area is plunging temperatures, with wind chills possibly reaching dangerous lows by Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Arctic air returns to the Kansas City region on Thursday, along with the chance for scattered snow flurries, the weather service said.

The flurries are from a band of snow extending from eastern Nebraska into southern Iowa and dipping into northeastern Missouri, the weather service said in its forecast discussion. That band of snow is expected to move south and east throughout the day.

For the most part, the flurries will be light and not expected to cause problems, although there is a low chance for light snow accumulations — a tenth or two of an inch — along the Iowa and Missouri border, the weather service said.

Temperatures will be on the chilly side, climbing to a high of 24 degrees, around 10 degrees cooler than Wednesday when temperatures reached 35 degrees. They will drop to around 12 degrees overnight.

Typically, Kansas City’s temperatures average around 39 degrees during the day and 20 degrees overnight.

The weather will be even colder on Friday, with temperatures climbing only to around 19 degrees. Snow flurries are also possible across eastern Kansas into western Missouri.

The coldest night in the forecast is expected to be Friday night into Saturday morning, when wind chills of minus 10 to minus 15 degrees are expected, the weather service said. Temperatures will be near zero degrees.

Temperatures will rebound on Saturday, rising to around 19 degrees. While that is still well below normal, it will bring a warming trend that will stretch into early next week.

There is a chance for light snow early Sunday, especially along and north of the Missouri River. Most areas will see only a dusting, with the best chances for accumulations near the Iowa border.

Temperatures will climb to near 33 degrees on Sunday. They will return closer to normal early next week.

Temperatures will be critical on Tuesday, as a weather disturbance moving into the upper Midwest and increasing moisture could lead to light rain or snow.

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Robert A. Cronkleton
The Kansas City Star
Robert A. Cronkleton is a breaking news reporter for The Kansas City Star, covering crime, courts, transportation, weather and climate. He’s been at The Star for 36 years. His skills include multimedia and data reporting and video and audio editing. Support my work with a digital subscription
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