Make sure to watch NBC Action News at 5 & 10pm Saturday and also Sunday morning at 8am for the latest on the weekend storm!
The storm is just beginning! The updated warnings and advisories just came out and there have been some changes sine this morning. Areas near the Iowa border are now under a Winter Storm Warning with rain and freezing rain expected tonight before transitioning to snow early Sunday. The metro area and much of the viewing area (excluding Johnson, Pettis, Bates, & Henry Counties) is under a Snow and Blowing Snow Advisory for late tonight and into Sunday afternoon. Rain, possibly a little freezing is possible tonight before the transition to snow occurs Sunday morning between 6-10am across the area. Here in the metro the changeover will likely be somewhere in the neighborhood of 7:30-10am? Once the transition occurs we can expect a period of moderate to heavy snow! It should be pretty impressive!
The upper level low is still back in far western Texas. Below is the water vapor image from around 4pm. Notice the moisture flowing into Kansas and Missouri. This will translate into a steady rain this evening and tonight. A few thunderstorms are also possible. Rain totals will be around 1-1.50" in Kansas City and some 2" totals a county or two south of the metro. Areas from Kansas City to Ottawa, KS to Clinton, MO and north to Sedalia, MO remain in a Flood Watch for this evening and tonight. Rapid runoff could create flooding in low lying areas and rivers and streams that are prone to flooding.
The 'L' on the map indicates where the ULL is located in Texas. The energy diving into the northern Plains and the ULL over Texas will begin to phase on Sunday. This will create a very intense storm. The phasing will occur after the low passes to our east.
Once the storm passes winds will increase to 20-35 mph out of the north-northwest and this will create blowing and drifting in open areas. Travel conditions will be the worst from around Kansas City and points north.
Areas under the Winter Storm Warning could see 0.10-0.20" of ice accumulation this evening into tonight. This would mainly be on trees, powerlines, vehicles, and elevated surfaces. If temperatures remain in the 31-33 degree range then most roads should remain wet...but certainly watch out for some icy areas.
The snowfall forecast has only been tweaked a little bit. Snow totals around the metro will likely range from 1-4". Best chance of 3-4" will come in locations like Weston, KCI, western KCK. Downtown KC back to Lenexa should be in the neighborhood of 2-3", with 1-2" in Lee's Summit and Blue Springs. Areas farther south like Harrisonville around 1", and Clinton and Sedalia seeing trace amounts to around a half inch.
Farther north from Weston to around St. Joe towards Chillicothe and Trenton a band of 4"+ could take shape. I think the highest total around the region will end up in the neighborhood of 4-6". Far northwest Missouri the totals will drop to about 2-3". Since the track of the storm isn't set in stone the snow totals can and will likely change some. But at the moment I am confident that the highest totals will once again occur north of KC.
Please keep you rain reports coming in...I'm reading them all! Let's have fun and enjoy this storm!
Jeremy