Good Wednesday afternoon bloggers,
This two part winter punch is going as expected. The snow has over spread the region. This is part one of a part two winter punch, snow then cold. We are in a Winter Weather Advisory for the snow and a Wind Chill Advisory for the cold. The cold will be the coldest air we have seen this season, so far.
We are expecting a dusting to 3" of snow northwest of KC and 2"-4" southeast of KC. This is for grassy surfaces. Paved surfaces will be wet to 1"-2" of slush. After 4 PM, once we lose the higher sun angle, we may see the snow stick to all surfaces even with temperatures at or above freezing. Now, after 6 PM, most of the snow will have occurred. But, there will be enough to coat all surfaces.
Part two of the winter event, the Arctic blast, was racing south from the northern Plains around noon. It will arrive after 9 PM. Let's go through this.
WEDNESDAY 9 PM: The arctic front will be just northwest of KC. Temperatures will fall 5-10 degrees per hour for 2 hours after the front passes your location. Also, you will know when the front passes, because the wind will pick up from the north to 20-40 mph along with the rapid temperature drop. We will be around 32 with light snow falling and all surfaces may be slushy at 9 PM.
WEDNESDAY AROUND MIDNIGHT: The front will be about to enter Sedalia and Clinton. KC will see temperatures tanking through the 20s to the teens. The temperatures depicted here may be a few degrees too warm. The bottom line is that we will see flash freezing of water and slush with north winds 20-40 mph. A new dusting to 1/2" of snow is possible with the Arctic front. This would be the only snow to blow around as the snow from the day will be mostly frozen. Surfaces will become very slick quick. The WIND CHILL ADVISORY goes into effect at midnight.
THURSDAY MORNING: WIND CHILL ADVISORY. Lows will be 0 to 5 with wind chill values as low as -20. This is dangerous cold. Surfaces will be icy in many locations and treatment does not work well at these temperatures.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON: The sun will be out with much less wind. It will still be quite cold with highs around 15 and wind chill values as low as -5. Roads will improve with the sunlight.
VALENTINE'S DAY: It will start extremely cold with lows 0 to 10. Wind chill values will be down as low as -15. The warming trend begins during the afternoon with sunshine and increasing south winds. The Arctic high pressure will be in Illinois, and with winds around high pressure blowing clockwise, we get the south winds. Highs will be 25-30. The weekend will be much warmer with highs in the 40s to around 50. While, the warmer air is good news, it is this whip-sawing from zero to 50 that causes pot holes.
Have great rest of your week. Stay safe and warm.
