KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Good Saturday bloggers,
We are tracking a whopper of a storm that will affect locations along the Interstate 70 corridor with winter weather from western Kansas to the east coast. KC is right in the middle of the Winter Storm Warning.
But, just because we are in the middle, does not mean we lack forecast questions. There is actually 1 main question. When will KC see a change from sleet/freezing rain to snow? It will occur between 6 AM and 2 PM Sunday. If it occurs closer to 6 AM we have more snow than our forecast. If it switches closer to 2 PM we have much less snow than our forecast.
Right now our forecast is for 3"-7" south KC to 7"-10" north. This is far from set yet.
We also have a forecast amount for freezing rain and sleet.
We are expecting less than 1/10" of freezing rain.
We may see 1"-2" of sleet. This a lot of sleet as it takes awhile to accumulate.
We want to root for sleet, because that is a frozen rain drop and bounces. Freezing rain is liquid water freezing on contact with the ground causing a glaze, clinging to trees and power lines.
Below is how these precipitation types come to be.
All usually start as snow in the clouds. If the air below is all below 32°, it stays snow. If it is all above 32° it melts and falls as rain.
If there is a thin layer above 32° aloft the snowflake melts to a rain drop and refreezes, becoming a frozen raindrop, sleet.
If there is a thicker layer above 32° aloft, the snowflake melts to a rain drop and does not have time to refreeze before reaching the ground, freezing rain.
Details on this large and complex storm is in the video below.
Have a great weekend.
Stay safe and healthy
Stay with KSHB 41 and we'll keep you advised.
