snow Archives - Missourinet

Missouri to go from highs in 70s and 80s to snow tonight, 30-degree cooler highs Wed

March 11, 2014 By Mike Lear

The warm temperatures of the last day and a half are being abruptly interrupted today.

The latest weather graphic from the National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill.

The National Weather Service says a cold front pushing through in the next few hours will drop temperatures significantly. National Weather Service Meteorologist Chris Bowman says it will also bring precipitation falling as rain generally south of Interstate 70 but farther north, it could fall as accumulating snow.

“Kind of centered around the Kirksville area,” is where Bowman says the snow will fall. “Right now we have about two to four inches of snow forecast.”

Thunderstorms could develop along the front today, but the Weather Service does not anticipate them to become severe. The lowest chance for precipitation in the state today is in southeast Missouri.

Bowman says the front will also usher in windier conditions.

“Look for winds across western Missouri probably in the 40 to 50 miles-per-hour range this evening through early tonight.”

Behind the front, Bowman says high temperatures will be 30 to 35 degrees cooler tomorrow than today.

“Fortunately we’re in climatological spring. The sun angle’s getting higher so these systems don’t stick around for very long,” Bowman says. “Wednesday looks to be well below normal with temperatures in the 30s to 40s, but then for Thursday it looks like we warm right back up into the 50s and 60s.”

A chance of rain mixed with snow is also in the forecast for the weekend.

Winter storm Friday to be followed by stronger storm Saturday and Sunday

February 27, 2014 By Mike Lear

Missouri will be impacted by two winter storms Friday through Sunday. A storm on Friday could cause some travel hazards, then a system Saturday night through Sunday could be a significant winter storm posing threats to travel and utilities.

This graphic was offered by the Pleasant Hill NWS office, which covers primarily northwest Missouri.

This graphic was offered Thursday morning by the Pleasant Hill NWS office, which covers primarily northwest Missouri.

Friday morning, precipitation will spread into the western portion of the state and push east. It is expected to begin as a mix of rain, freezing rain, snow and sleet that could cause some glazing of ice and make morning driving hazardous. Warmer temperatures in the afternoon will cause most precipitation to change over to rain in the afternoon and allow for some melting of any ice, according to Meteorologist Ryan Cutter with the National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill.

“It will be a little dicey and we’ll have to see where all that freezing precip decides to fall,” says Cutter.

That storm is expected to end Friday evening with some snowfall perhaps lingering in far north Missouri.

The more significant storm is expected to begin Saturday night, but much uncertainty remains about that storm.

Meteorologist Andy Boxell with the National Weather Service office in Springfield says there is a great deal of confidence that a lot of wintry precipitation will fall in Missouri Saturday night through Sunday, but questions about temperatures and track remain.

This weather graphic was offered Thursday morning by the Springfield NWS office, which covers primarily southwest Missouri.

“We’re not only concerned about the temperature here at the surface,” says Boxell, “but also further up in the atmosphere … if we’re just cold enough we may see more sleet and snow. A little bit warmer in some cases and maybe more of a freezing rain event.”

As for what will fall, Boxell says, “In all likelihood there will be a portion of the state that sees fairly significant snow, a portion that sees fairly significant sleet and freezing rain accumulations,” but it remains unclear where the varying forms of precipitation will fall.

The Saturday night and Sunday storm is expected to pose threats to both travel and utilities.

In regard to travel, Cutter says, “There could be enough snow that [road crews] will need to probably get out and maybe plow over the weekend, especially as you get further north in Missouri with several inches of accumulation expected.”

For south Missouri Boxell says temperatures will be cold enough to allow for accumulation on elevated roadways, tree limbs and power lines.

“Freezing rain is the worst-case scenario and that, combined with what is going to be a pretty stiff east wind could create some issues where that freezing rain does fall.” He notes that where sleet falls, structural problems could also arise because its accumulation can add significant amounts of weight to structures.

Cutter says some snow could continue Sunday night but the storm should come to an end by Monday. It is expected to be followed by very cold temperatures for Monday, with daytime highs struggling to get into the teens and overnight lows into the singled digits and negative readings in north Missouri and only slightly warmer in southern Missouri..

Both meteorologists encourage Missourians to watch and listen for the latest updates on both storms.

For information for your area, visit these NWS pages.

In northwest and western Missouri: Kansas City (Pleasant Hill)

In northeast and eastern Missouri: St. Louis

In southwest Missouri: Springfield

In southeast Missouri: Paducah, KY

Scotland and Clark counties: Davenport, IA

‘Life threatening’ temperatures, more snow on the way for Missouri

February 5, 2014 By Mike Lear

The National Weather Service says despite some flurries, no more accumulating snow is expected today.

This weather graphic stresses the NWS' concern that wind chills tonight could reach "life threatening" lows.

This weather graphic, courtesy of the National Weather Service, stresses the NWS’ concern that wind chills tonight could reach “life threatening” lows.

What forecasters like Mike July are concerned about is the wind that through the day is blowing snow into drifts and back onto cleared roads, but more importantly will lead to dangerous wind chills overnight through tomorrow morning.

“Especially when you get anything 25 below or colder we tend to lump it into the life threatening category,” says July. “Anybody that’s outdoors and not properly dressed and exposed skin … if you don’t take the right precautions and your outdoors for any extended period of time, it indeed can become life-threatening.”

Wind chills are predicted to reach as low as 26-degrees Farenheit below zero tomorrow morning in far northwest Missouri.

In southeast Missouri the Weather Service is also warning that winds could cause iced-over limbs to fall, and statewide a re-freezing of road surfaces is possible.

Two more storms are being predicted, one Friday night into Saturday and one Monday night into Tuesday, but July says neither of those is expected to be as strong as the one that just ended.

“The next couple of days we’re going to be in a very fast-moving environment. We’re going to have weak systems coming through … the farther you go down the road, the lower the confidence, unless we have a storm like this last one that we’d been looking at for almost a week in advance.”

July says both of those storms could produce some snow accumulation, but amounts are predicted to be much less than this last storm. It will fall on top of the snow now on the ground, he says, as temperatures are expected to remain cold through next week.

Some parts of north Missouri are reporting as much as a foot of new snow making for 16 inches of snow on the ground, and wind has blown drifts reported as deep as 30 inches.

For information for your area, visit these NWS pages.

In northwest and western Missouri: Kansas City (Pleasant Hill)

In northeast and eastern Missouri: St. Louis

In southwest Missouri: Springfield

In southeast Missouri: Paducah, KY

Scotland and Clark counties: Davenport, IA

National Weather Service: snow, ice not done accumulating

February 4, 2014 By Mike Lear

A winter storm continues to pile snow and ice on Missouri, causing the transportation department to advise against travel and some public agencies to shut down.

Heavy snowfall obscures the view of the Missouri River and the bridge across it from the State Capitol Building in Jefferson City.

National Weather Service meteorologist Chris Bowman in Kansas City says it’s not done yet.

“It looks like it will taper off from about southwest to northeast … by about sunrise tomorrow stuff should be pretty much wound down,” says Bowman. “We may see some blowing of snow as the winds pick up. It won’t be precipitating. We’ll just have blowing snow across the ground. As we move into the afternoon tomorrow it looks like everything will be gone out of the state.”

The Bootheel region of Missouri has received some freezing rain and sleet mixed in with the snow. Warning Coordination Meteorologist Rick Shanklin in Paducah, Kentucky, says a quarter-inch of ice accumulation had been reported by 4:00 p.m. in the areas of Grandin and Dexter.

“We think freezing rain will continue at least into the early evening hours, especially as you approach the Mississippi River area,” says Shanklin, but he says in southeast Missouri the precipitation should be ending earlier than in the rest of the state. “We do see a pretty rapid end … by mid- to late evening.”

The area expected to receive the greatest snowfall totals is in western through central Missouri, including Kansas City, Chillicothe, Columbia, Sedalia and Butler. Bowman says in those regions 8 to 10 inches of snow has been predicted.

Two more rounds of winter weather expected in the coming week

February 1, 2014 By Mike Lear

After the winter storm that brought snow, sleet and freezing rain to much of the state today diminishes, Missourians will not have much of a break from winter precipitation.

The National Weather Service office in Springfield is predicting another winter storm Monday night into Tuesday, but the track and potential for accumulation are uncertain.

Meteorologist Andy Foster with the National Weather Service in Springfield says two storms are expected to hit Missouri in the coming week.

“Looks like we’ll see a potential winter storm impacting the region beginning Monday night into Tuesday and potentially another winter storm effecting the area as we go into late week … Friday into Saturday.”

Foster says it isn’t clear what those storms will do and where.

“At this point there is so much uncertainty on exact track and strength it is hard to say as far as exact accumulations, but right now we’d say just prepare for a potential winter storm with a variety of winter-type precipitation with either of those storms.”

He says both systems show potential to have a region-wide impact.

“These both could be larger winter storms that will have a variety of winter weather that will impact a large area, so if you have travel plans next week make sure you get the latest forecast.

For information for your area, visit these NWS pages.In northwest and western Missouri: Kansas City (Pleasant Hill)

In northeast and eastern Missouri: St. Louis

In southwest Missouri: Springfield

In southeast Missouri: Paducah, KY

Scotland and Clark counties: Davenport, IA

For Missouri highway conditions visit the Transportation Department’s Traveler Information Map (also available as a smartphone app).

Snow and ice today to be followed by more snow and ice overnight

January 31, 2014 By Mike Lear

Visit our homepage at Missourinet.com for updated weather stories

Roads across northern Missouri are already covered or partly covered as a winter storm has brought snow, ice and cooler temperatures to parts of the state today.

The latest weather graphic from the National Weather Service predicting snowfall totals through Saturday.

The National Weather Service says the cold front that brought that precipitation has stalled in southern Missouri. Snow is expected to continue this afternoon north of Interstate 70 with a mix of snow and some sleet farther south.

See the latest road conditions from the Missouri Department of Transportation

Meteorologist Pam Murray says the greater event will happen overnight through tomorrow morning.

“Higher snowfall amounts will remain across northern Missouri. We’re generally looking at 4 to 6 inches across that area with locally higher amounts. Generally along and south of I-70 you’ll be looking at anywhere from 2 to 4 inches.”

Murray says there could also be some ice accumulation overnight.

“We’re seeing areas of freezing rain and drizzle develop across southeast Kansas and portions of southeast Missouri and we’re expecting that to move north, looking at maybe a tenth- to a quarter-inch of ice across south and central Missouri.”

For information for your area, visit these NWS pages.In northwest and western Missouri: Kansas City (Pleasant Hill)

In northeast and eastern Missouri: St. Louis

In southwest Missouri: Springfield

In southeast Missouri: Paducah, KY

Scotland and Clark counties: Davenport, IA

Multiple rounds of winter weather could make travel difficult Friday and Saturday

January 30, 2014 By Mike Lear

The National Weather Service is predicting several waves of winter weather will sweep Missouri in the next 36 hours, with the worst Friday night through Saturday morning.

This graphic shows the snowfall total predictions of the National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill.

Some light snow Friday morning could be accompanied by a light glazing of ice starting in the Ozarks and moving through the northern half of Missouri through Friday.

Around midnight Saturday morning heavy snow will begin that will leave 3-5 inches of accumulation across northern Missouri, with a swath of up to a tenth-of-an-inch of ice stretching from north of Joplin to about St. Louis.

The Weather Service says it will be a good time not to get out if you don’t have to and recommends watching for updates. Winter weather warning products are being issued for most of the state.

For information for your area, visit these NWS pages.In northwest and western Missouri: Kansas City (Pleasant Hill)

In northeast and eastern Missouri: St. Louis

In southwest Missouri: Springfield

In southeast Missouri: Paducah, KY

Scotland and Clark counties: Davenport, IA

Freezing rain, sleet, snow on Thursday, dangerously low temperatures and windchills for the weekend (INFOGRAPHICS / AUDIO)

December 3, 2013 By Jessica Machetta

Unusually mild weather for December will continue today, but starting tomorrow, winter weather is coming in with a vengeance. The National Weather Service is telling folks to be prepared.

The National Weather Service hubs in Missouri are reporting that a cold front will move through the state tonight, ushering in a polar airmass that will persist through the weekend. That means all sorts of winter weather for most of the state beginning Thursday, Dec. 4.

Andy Boxell is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Springfield. He says it looks like the worst of it is expected to be along the Interstate 44 corridor, with higher precipitation amounts to the South. But he says it’s too early to tell exactly what kind of winter precipitation will fall where, and how much. Boxell says just a few degrees difference can change the entire outlook. He’s asking everyone to watch the forecasts and be prepared. For now, it looks like rain and freezing rain will dominate the southern portion of the state, with sleet south of Interstate 70 and snow blanketing the center of the state, stretching from Kansas City to St. Louis. However, the system stretches far beyond Missouri, from Oklahoma and Arkansas, through Missouri, and into Illinois and Ohio.

Boxell says the wintery mix of precipitation will be followed by extremely cold temperatures this weekend, with single digit readings and below-zero windchills.

Now is the time to take winter weather precautions if you haven’t already … stocking up on salt, weather proofing your vehicle, and making sure your pets have indoor accommodations.

AUDIO: Jessica Machetta reports (1:19)

Boxell says everyone should focus not on how many inches of snow we might get, but rather on the fact that winter weather is coming. See the information below for a region-by-region breakout. (Click images to enlarge.) Visit the following links to see updated information as the front develops. To check the forecast in your area, visit the National Weather Service in Springfield, National Weather Service in Kansas City (Pleasant Hill), or National Weather Service in St. Louis. For weather conditions in the Southeast Missouri portion of Missouri, visit the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky.

KANSAS CITY (Pleasant Hill):

Mild, dry weather will continue through Tuesday with above normal temperatures. Patchy dense fog covers a large part of the state this morning. A cold front will move through the region tonight bringing much colder conditions. A chance of snow is possible Thursday and Friday mainly along and south of the Interstate 70 corridor, with the highest totals expected over southwestern Missouri.

ST. LOUIS:

After seeing above normal temperatures early this week, a strong cold front will move through the area on Wednesday. Much colder air will move into the area behind the front. A wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain will develop from southeast Missouri into south central Illinois on Thursday with a band of snow to the north. The chance of snow will continue over the area into Friday. Well below normal temperatures are expected through next weekend as an arctic high settles over the Great Lakes.

SPRINGFIELD:

A mix of winter precipitation and much colder temperatures will impact the region Thursday into Friday. Accumulating winter precipitation is expected but the exact precipitation type and amounts remain uncertain. Very cold weather will continue through the weekend with another chance of winter weather on Sunday. An episode of snow, sleet, and freezing rain is forecasted over extreme southeast Kansas and the Missouri Ozarks. Most of the region will experience light to moderate snow accumulations. Meanwhile, areas of far southern and south central Missouri will have a risk for freezing rain, leading to ice accumulations.

PADUCAH (Ky.):

Considerable winter weather impacts will be possible for some areas Thursday night through Friday. Mainly rain is expected Thursday. However, colder air will spread southeast across the area, so that by Thursday evening, a transition to freezing rain or sleet is forecast into southeast Missouri and southern Illinois. Late Thursday night, the transition to wintry precipitation should extend to about the Ohio River, with wintry precipitation developing across the rest of west Kentucky through the day Friday. It is still too soon to forecast specific amounts given the complexity of this storm system. However, the potential does exist for moderate accumulations of ice and sleet, with some snow possible, across portions of the region.

National Weather Service warns of slick conditions this evening, overnight

November 21, 2013 By Mike Lear

Wintry precipitation is already falling in northwest Missouri and could continue into the overnight. A Winter Weather Advisory is in place in Doniphan, Atchison, Nodaway, Worth, Gentry, Harrison, Holt and Andrew counties until 2 a.m.

From the National Weather Service: Rain will continue to move northeastward through the afternoon hours. A polar cold front will continue to bring colder air into the area, with rain changing over to a wintry mix initially for NW Missouri. A wintry mix is possible including freezing rain/freezing drizzle/sleet/snow over NW Missouri, with lesser chances to the southeast. Snowfall under one-half inch and/or a light glaze of ice is possible over far NW Missouri. Temperatures will plummet for this weekend, with highs running near 30 on Saturday.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Scott Blair says that moisture could begin to freeze on roadways even this afternoon as temperatures reach near 30 degrees, especially on elevated surfaces like bridges.

“Once you get up across northwestern Missouri we are looking at the potential for several different precipitation types. We might see a changeover from rain to freezing rain over the next few hours and then eventually sleet and even some light snow,” Blair says. “Far northwestern Missouri, out of all of the state, is going to be at the most concern over the next 6 to 12 hours for wintry precipitation and we could see some light accumulations across that area that may lead to a little bit of hazardous driving conditions.”

Further south and southeast precipitation is expected to remain less wintry and more rainy.

Blair says a major ice storm is not expected, and conditions are likely to improve by the time people are driving to work and school Friday morning.

‘Major’ winter storm predicted for later this week

December 17, 2012 By Mike Lear

The National Weather Service says a “very powerful” winter storm could bring some significant snowfall to northern Missouri, Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

The National Weather Service is forecasting a major winter storm in the Midwest later this week. (Image courtesy, National Weather Service)

Meteorologist Matthew Dukes says the storm will develop beginning tonight over the west coast.

“The best chance for wintry weather in this part of the country looks to align itself from the Kirksville area off to the southwest near Kansas City.”

Accumulations are difficult to predict at this point, but Dukes says several inches of snow is possible in Missouri by the time it quits falling Thursday morning.

The system will reach across the entire Midwest.

Dukes says it will produce, “thunderstorm activity across the Southern Plains and toward the Gulf of Mexico with very heavy and widespread heavy snow expected across portions of Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin where the latest estimates could be as much as 5 inches, maybe even up to a foot of snow in some locations and areas north of Missouri.”

The Weather Service says the forecast could change between now and Wednesday, so Missourians are encouraged to keep an eye on it.

“The snowfall forecast could change in some regards especially as we move into northern Missouri and this could have some impacts as well into Central Missouri if things do trend a certain way.”