textproduct: Kansas City/Pleasant Hill

KEY MESSAGES

- Winter storm continues to bring snow into tonight before ending from northwest to southeast Sunday morning. Additional snowfall of 1-3 inches north of I-70 with 2-5 inches to the south.

- Another cold day is expected for Sunday with dangerous cold Sunday night as lows drop below zero with wind chills in the teens below zero.

- Temperatures warm slightly next week but remain below normal. Another shot of cold air arrives late week with minimal chances for precipitation.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 248 PM CST Sat Jan 24 2026

High pressure was located over the Great Lakes early this afternoon and extended into the Mid-Mississippi Valley. Low pressure was analyzed off the Texas Gulf Coast with a trough extending northward into southwestern Missouri. An expansive area of precipitation extended from the Southern Plains into the Lower Mississippi Valley with snow on the north end, sleet and mixed precipitation in the middle and rainfall to the south. The northern edge of the snowfall was roughly just to the south of the Iowa/Missouri border with snow over much of eastern Kansas and northern Missouri. Dry air has continued to be an issue with this system, especially across our northern zones along with some pockets elsewhere. Snowfall amounts thus far have been in the 1 to 3 inch range over much of the KC metro area with around an inch or less in the far south and east metro. Still seeing some higher radar returns upstream across central and southern Kansas, so expecting some higher snowfall rates to move in later this afternoon.

Upper level dynamics have not been as favorable as previously advertised with the southern jet streak being slow to develop and now not arriving until the overnight hours as drier air intrudes from the northwest and starts to shut off the snow. We still have the isentropic lift in place along with the main jet streak over the Great Lakes. Additionally, more recent runs of the HRRR have backed off on the development of a deformation band over the area. All this said, at least steady light snowfall will persist into tonight with some periods of heavier snowfall possible. Additional snowfall amounts of 1-2" are expected for areas north of US 36 with 3-6" for areas south and east of the KC metro area. As for the metro area, another 2-4" is expected before snow ends Sunday morning. No changes have been made to the aerial extents of the warning and advisory, but the timing has changed with both ending at noon. If the drier air is quicker to arrive, further modifications may be required.

Cold air remains overhead for Sunday with highs in the teens. As skies clear for the evening and overnight hours, favorable radiational cooling conditions will be in place as lows fall into the single digits below zero. Light northwesterly winds will then lead to wind chills in the teens to around 20 below zero. A Cold Weather Advisory will likely be needed for most of the CWA, if not all, but will let the winter headlines clear first before issuing.

Temperatures will warm into the middle 20s to middle 30s for Tuesday and Wednesday before another shot of Arctic air arrives to end the week dropping highs 10 to 20 degrees below normal into the teens and 20s. Dry conditions look to prevail through the week before low chances for snowfall return late in the period as a cold front drops to the south.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY/

Issued at 529 PM CST Sat Jan 24 2026

MVFR cigs with lgt snow reducing vis btn 1-2SM is expected thru 14Z-15Z (11Z at STJ) before conds become VFR with bkn-ovc cigs around 4-5kft. Winds at the beginning of the TAF pd will be out of the NE around 10kts but will back to the north btn 5-10kts aft 10Z-12Z.

EAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MO...Winter Storm Warning until noon CST Sunday for MOZ028>031- 037>040-043>046-053-054. Winter Weather Advisory until noon CST Sunday for MOZ001>008- 011>017-020>025-032-033. KS...Winter Storm Warning until noon CST Sunday for KSZ025-057-060- 103>105. Winter Weather Advisory until noon CST Sunday for KSZ102.