New forecast: Up to 6 inches of snow possible in Kansas City area from winter storm
Friday morning update: A newer weather story has been published here.
The winter storm that’s poised to strike the Kansas City area Friday might be worse than originally thought.
An updated forecast now has Kansas City and surrounding areas pegged to receive as much as 6 inches of snow, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill.
The storm is expected to bring between 2 and 5 inches of snow across to the region. The heaviest snowfall, ranging between 3 and 6 inches, is possible from St. Joseph through the Kansas City area, according to the weather service.
Although snowfall is expected to begin after 6 a.m., the morning commute in Kansas City may not be too difficult, according to the weather service.
The heaviest snowfall will be between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Snowfall rates could reach 1 inch per hour during that time across west-central Missouri and adjacent eastern Kansas. The snow may accumulate quickly on area roadways, according to the national weather service.
“This will cause hazardous travel concerns during the rush hour time frame,” the National Weather Service said on its Kansas City Facebook page.
Drivers are advised to be prepared for heavy snow with very low visibility. The snow is expected to end Friday evening.
The Kansas Highway Patrol announced that, because of the impending storm, it will have any abandoned vehicle towed from the shoulders of Kansas City area interstates and highways.
The towing of vehicles is to help state road crews with snow removal, according to a written statement from the patrol.
The highway patrol will start having vehicles removed at 9 p.m. Thursday. Drivers whose vehicles have been towed can call dispatchers at *47 to find out where their vehicles were taken. The towing will be done at the owner’s expense.
This story was originally published February 14, 2019 at 2:41 PM.
