From the Plains to the mid-Atlantic, over 60 million people were under weather alerts as a winter storm threatened to lash the areas with debilitating ice and heavy snow.
Over the course of the next three days, the growing low-pressure system is expected to impact the following cities: Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Kansas City, Missouri; Omaha, Nebraska; St. Louis, and Indianapolis.
As the powerful and significant storm continues to develop, 57 million people in 30 states will still be under winter alert as of Saturday afternoon.
Strong winds, freezing rain, and a lot of snow will affect the central and northern Plains as well as the Rocky Mountains. Wichita, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri; and Omaha, Nebraska are among the cities anticipated to be impacted. Strong wind gusts combined with heavy snow could create blizzard-like conditions.
The National Weather Service field office in Kansas City warned on X that a wintry mix could begin as early as today afternoon and turn into snow on Sunday afternoon. On Sunday, wind gusts of 35 to 40 mph might result in blizzard-like conditions.
A pocket of freezing drizzle is already causing some problems in sections of central Kansas as scattered snow showers spread throughout the Northern Plains on Saturday afternoon. Throughout the evening, these showers will continue to form.
The meteorological agency issued a blizzard warning for much of Kansas and a portion of Missouri on Saturday night, covering more than 2.1 million people. According to the statement, the alert was expected to extend to areas of Missouri north of the Missouri River, Northwest Missouri, and Northeast Kansas by early Sunday.
Residents are warned by such a warning that persistent winds of at least 35 mph and decreased visibility of 1/4 mile or less are likely.
The international airport in Kansas City, Missouri, shut down flight travel for a few hours on Saturday “due to rapid ice accumulation,” according to airport officials on X.
The airfield needed to be sprayed with a deicer to prevent ice buildup and maintain surfaces accessible to planes during the night, according to Mayor Quinton Lucass on X.
At 5:22 p.m. CT, he said, “The runways and taxiways at Kansas City International Airport (MCI) are open for flight operations.”
The Kansas City metropolitan area was advised to “take it easy” on the roads by the weather service.
The Kansas City field office of the meteorological service reported that “freezing drizzle has begun to cover surfaces in a glaze of ice across portions of the KC metro.” “MODOT (Missouri Department of Transportation) and KDOT (Kansas Department of Transportation) are also showing some issues beginning to crop up on roadways.”
Roadways in Kansas City, Missouri, were also being deiced, according to city manager Brian David Platt.
“Our aggressive pretreating of all roads before the storm made quick work of the ice earlier today and we will continue to work 24 hours a day for the duration of the storm,” he stated on X.
Parts of Kansas and Missouri were expected to get historic precipitation, according to the weather agency. “A swath of heavy snow exceeding 15 inches from northeastern Kansas into north-central Missouri would be the heaviest snowfall in a decade,” the national forecast discussion stated.
From one coast to another An estimated 6,685 flights were delayed on Saturday due to weather-related issues. FlightAware.com, a website that tracks air traffic, reports that there were roughly 282 cancellations.
According to FlightAware, Denver International Airport led the world in delayed flights at the western end of the low pressure system, with over half of its Saturday departures departing late.
Heavy snow and ice from Kansas will move into the mid-Mississippi Valley by Sunday morning as the storm system moves throughout the central Plains. Throughout the day, the storm system will progressively move east, with Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky experiencing the most severe effects.
Additionally, there is a severe weather danger for 7 million people in the lower Mississippi Valley on Sunday. Cities like Jackson, Mississippi, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, and Lake Charles, Louisiana, are at risk of tornadoes, destructive winds, and hail.
Overnight into Monday morning, snow is expected to fall in the middle Appalachians and mid-Atlantic. As the system moves offshore on Monday, these rains will continue until Tuesday morning. Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh are among the locations predicted to be impacted on Monday.
The states with the greatest predicted snowfall totals—Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois—will receive between 9 and 16 inches. From sections of Illinois to the mid-Atlantic, there will likely be 4 to 9 inches of snowfall, with heavier accumulations possible in the central Appalachians.
From Kansas through Virginia, there will be significant icing, which could result in power outages, tree damage, and hazardous traffic conditions. Totals of 0.1 to 0.4 inches of ice are typical, although in some areas of Missouri, southern Illinois, and Kentucky, severe quantities of 0.5 to 0.75 inches are conceivable.
The eastern two-thirds of the nation are expected to experience a sharp decline in temperature following this system. After Sunday, highs will be 10 to 25 degrees below normal through Friday. In the Plains and Midwest, highs will be in the single digits and teens, while in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, they will be in the 20s to 30s.
The northern Plains will experience the worst temperatures, with wind chills of about – 40 and overnight lows as low as minus 20. Advisories for cold weather are in effect from Minnesota to eastern Montana.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!