Extreme Cold Watch Issued This Week

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the second time in as many weeks. This one comes with an Extreme Cold Watch as wind chill values are expected to plummet to dangerous levels.

Only 1 to 3 inches of light powdery snow is expected early this week, but with that comes an arctic blast that will remain in our area through most of the week.

The Extreme Cold Watch goes into effect late Monday night through Thursday morning. It includes the Kansas City Metro area and most counties north of I-70.

Temperatures are expected to fall into single digits during the day, and subzero readings at night. Record lows temperatures are possible. Dangerous wind chills as low as -25° below zero are anticipated Tuesday through Friday mornings.

Frostbite can set in as little as 30 minutes when wind chills are below -20° below zero and colder. If you must get out in extreme cold weather be sure to dress in layers to help keep you warm and cover exposed skin. This includes a wearing warm hat, gloves, and ski mask if possible.

Homeowners can reduce the chance of frozen and bursting pipes by opening cabinet doors inside to allow warm air to get to pipes and slightly opening faucets to allow water to drip.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Winter Storm Watch Issued This Week

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for northwest, north central and west central Missouri this week. Although snow totals expected are less than the January storm a few weeks ago, accumulating snow is still likely this week.

Light snow is likely to fall on Monday into Monday night with minor accumulations. Less than 2 inches of snow is expected in the Kansas City area.

A heavier snow system is likely late Tuesday night through Wednesday night, including the potential for widespread snow amounts in excess of 4 inches. However, the National Weather Service says widespread amounts over 6 inches is possible in the region. Wednesday morning and evening commutes will likely be affected.

Temperatures will also fall this week. Wind chills between 10 above zero and 10 below zero are expected Wednesday through Friday mornings.

Looking further ahead, there's a chance for a wintry mix on Friday and Saturday.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Major Winter Storm Takes Aim at NW Missouri

The National Weather Service expects ice, sleet, and heavy snow accumulation this weekend. Meteorologists are expecting as much as 13 inches of snow to fall in Northwest Missouri.

The National Weather Service has now issued a Winter Storm Warning from 6 pm Saturday, January 4, to 3 am Monday, January 6. Areas included in this storm warning include portions of east central and northeast Kansas and central, north central, northeast, northwest, and west central Missouri.

On Saturday, our area could see freezing rain and sleet, and then on Sunday, January 5, it will changeover to very heavy snow. Thunderstorms with snow are possible which could increase snowfall rates to 2" per hour at times. There will also be wind gusting up to 35 mph at times with this storm causing blowing and drifting of the snow Sunday into Monday. 

Heavy mixed precipitation expected. The National Weather Service expects total snow and sleet accumulations between 6 and 13 inches and ice accumulations up to two tenths of an inch.

This amount of snow and ice can cause complications for roads and homes. Homeowners should be prepared for tree damage and branches to fall, damage to power lines and power poles, and power outages.

The Missouri Department of Transportation and the City of Kearney have announced that they will be treating roads in the area and will continue to monitor street conditions throughout the weekend. The City of Kearney asks vehicle owners not to park on the streets if possible, to allow public works trucks and plows to be more effective.

Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative staff met this week to review emergency action plans and procedures and to ensure they are prepared to respond to any service disruptions resulting from the winter storm.

Travel is discouraged during this storm, but if you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.