Ice Storm and Near Blizzard Conditions Forecast - Updated 10a Saturday

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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 southern Illinois. Here is what those two levels mean:
  • Purple Level 4. Prolonged and widespread utility interruptions with damage to main feeder lines and some high voltage transmission lines and structures. Outages lasting as long as 5 to 10 days.
  • Red Level 3. Numerous utility interruptions with some damage to main feeder lines and equipment expected. Tree limb damage is excessive. Outages lasting 1 to 5 days. 
Please plan for power outages. 

Remember: Never bring a generator into your home and keep your generator at least ten feet, preferably farther, from any air intakes. 

Major Snow Event for the Great Plains, Ozarks and southern Ohio Valley. Below are the storm total snowfall amounts. Please note that some melting may occur early in the storm due to warm ground. 

Extreme snows are forecast in much of Kentucky. Travel problems are likely throughout the storm region.

Above is snapshot of the storm at noon Sunday. Wind gusts of 35 mph are forecast in parts of Kansas causing blizzard or near blizzard conditions. Travel is strongly discouraged as road closures are likely. 

With regard to timing: 
  • Saturday in Kansas. 
  • Early Saturday evening in western Missouri. 
  • Pre-dawn Sunday (Saturday night) in St. Louis and western Illinois.
  • Late morning Sunday in Louisville and central Kentucky.
  • Pre-dawn Monday in Virginia. 

Note: there is no National Weather Service map of winter storm warnings or ice storm warnings displayed because they are still, for reasons that escape me, in the winter storm "watch" mode. When they decide to upgrade to warnings, I will post them.

From the City of Wichita:

FYI: there is the potential for snow in Texas starting the 9th or 10th to the west of I-35. I'll begin covering it on Monday.

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