As if there isn't enough going on, tornadoes are in the forecast for Sunday and Sunday night in the South. The yellow area has an enhanced  risk of tornadoes. The brown area has a significant risk of tornadoes.  Please plan to monitor the weather in these areas tomorrow. Of course, I will update this forecast mid- to late morning Sunday.

Chiefs, hire a commercial meteorologist! We've been forecasting horrible travel conditions for this afternoon for the four days.  Forecast Updated as of 3:30pm ----- Blizzard warning extended into the north suburbs of Kansas City and into north central Missouri. Also, lightning and thunder will occur tonight in the blizzard warning area in Kansas. Locally heavier amounts of freezing rain/snow will occur with the thunderstorms.  Color key: Orange = blizzard warning.  Deep purple = ice storm warning. Pink = winter storm warning (ice or snow) Blue = winter weather advisory (a lesser condition) Dark green = winter storm watch Magenta = red flag (wildfire) warning Sand = wind advisory Gray = dense fog advisory Turquoise = freeze warning  Blizzard warning in effect that includes Wichita, Topeka, Manhattan and Salina. It also includes the Kansas Turnpike, I-70 and I-135.  Farther east, the ice storm warning extended into western Kentucky and far southwest Indiana....

.... this is nothing but another political grift in the field of climate alarmism.  From meteorologist and statistician Matt Briggs.  More and more, climate alarmism is about money and power.

Here are storm highlights.  While there will be widespread heavy snow (defined at 4" or more), it will combine with high winds and low visibilities over parts of eastern Kansas Saturday night and Sunday.  Like the snow, there will be widespread freezing rain south of I-70 in Kansas and south of U.S. 50 in Missouri and along/south of I-64 in Illinois. With several days of winter cold following the ice storm, it will be important to care for people who have lost power.  Over Kansas, winds are forecast to gust to 35 mph in places. In Ozarks are forecasts to be lighter but accumulations of freezing rain are forecast to be greater which will also be the case farther east into the Ohio Valley.  If you live in these areas, it is important to begin preparations for potential power outages.  The Sperry-Piltz Ice Storm Index (SP) is below. It has been upgraded to purple (level 4) in the past few minutes over parts of east central Kansas and from southeast Missouri into so...

There is an update pertaining to the ice storm here .  Let's begin with an overview: Dark turquoise is a winter storm watch for heavy snow or ice. The purple areas from Iowa to the east are for today's snow. The purple area in Kansas is for freezing rain or drizzle starting Saturday.  Here are snapshots of the forecast storm at various points in time.  Noon Saturday 6am Sunday 6pm Sunday 8am Monday Blue is snow with darker shades of blue corresponding to heavier rates of falling snow. Orange is sleet. Pink and purple are freezing rain with purple indicating a high rate of freezing rain.  Green is rain and yellow/red is thunderstorms.  Accumulation Forecasts Snowfall to 6am Monday With the warm weather of late and the ground being warm (for January), it is uncertain how much of this snow will actually accumulate. Nevertheless, this will be a heavy snow ( ≥ 4") in many areas. It is fair to say that the heavier snow will probably be along and to the north of Inters...

In the forecast below, I refer to today's winter weather system as Winter Storm #1. It has already spread snow across Iowa (below). The forecast is for the area of snow to move to the east southeast and then weaken tonight.  This forecast is valid through 3am. The radar shows at the snow area as of 10am.  Regarding Winter Storm #2,  This is the probability of at least  2-3" of snow Saturday through Monday along with the area where icing is most likely.  I'll have a complete update on Storm #2 in the mid- to late afternoon. 

Note to readers at 11:45pm Wednesday, January 1: after a quick look at this evening's data and models, the forecast below still looks good.   This is important information for anyone traveling the next few days. Please factor it into your plans.  Winter Storm #1 Above is a close-up of snowfall amounts in the Midwest. East of the Rockies, the snow will begin over Nebraska tonight.  The snow will spread east into Iowa tomorrow (Thursday) morning and then farther east. Heavier amounts are likely over the Appalachians.  Weekend  Storm #2, Major Storm Forecast Above is the snapshot forecast weather map for 6am Sunday. A strong low pressure center is forecast to be over southeast Kansas with severe thunderstorms possible during the day over the south central U.S. as well as freezing rain and sleet in the purple area and heavy snow in the dark blue area. The models are showing wind gusts of 30mph or even stronger in the icing area of central and northeast Kansas which ...

I will have a complete update on the two pending winter storms this afternoon.