FIRST WARN: Snow forecast bumped up for Kansas City. Ice threat remains.

Saturday and Sunday are First Warn 5 Weather Days
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday are all top-alert First Warn Weather Days.
Published: Jan. 2, 2025 at 6:07 AM CST
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Saturday, Sunday, and Monday are all top-alert First Warn Weather Days. The newest information is in for this weekend’s major winter storm, and it is pointing to two new updates. First, snow totals have increased. Second, the ice may start sooner than previously expected on Saturday. This nor info is showing freezing rain and sleet now possibly starting as early as late Saturday morning. If it plays out this way, roads could be in bad shape as early as mid-afternoon. The ice will continue the rest of the day and into the night. At the moment, roughly 18 hours of freezing rain and sleet may occur in Kansas City, finally ending by Sunday morning.

A very powerful winter storm we are getting this weekend could be the worst we've seen in years.
A very powerful winter storm we are getting this weekend could be the worst we've seen in years.(KCTV5/Luke Dorris)

During this time, we could see up to a quarter inch of ice within the metro, with a half inch or more possible south of I-70. This is a bad ice storm. Power outages will be likely, in addition to nearly impossible travel. Roads will be extremely dangerous. Large falling branches, or even falling trees, will be a concern. Ice may also try to stretch farther north of I-70 than it previously looked, though this is very much in question. This may end up being snow Saturday north of I-70, but it’s a close call. Everyone in the KCTV5 viewing area should prepare for freezing rain on Saturday and Saturday night.

This weekend's storm is going to pack a punch, and both Saturday and Sunday are our top-alert...
This weekend's storm is going to pack a punch, and both Saturday and Sunday are our top-alert First Warn Weather Days.(KCTV5/Luke Dorris)

We switch over to all snow for Kansas City and points north by roughly 7 am Sunday. If that delays, we will have more ice. Ice will continue south of I-70 through at least early afternoon before we switch to all snow across the board. It will snow hard all day and into the night before snow finally ends around midnight.

We have pushed snow totals up for the metro, with now 7-12″ forecast for Kansas City. To put this in perspective, this is the most snow in two years on the low end (and a far worse storm than February 2022, as this one has ice). On the high end, this would be the 2nd highest single-day snow event in the record books for Kansas City.

Saturday, Sunday, and Monday are all top-alert First Warn Weather Days.
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday are all top-alert First Warn Weather Days.(KCTV5/Luke Dorris)

This will be a blizzard or nearly a blizzard. It’s right on the edge, but expect near white-out conditions with wind gusts up to 50 mph. Much of the day won’t be that windy, but gusts around 35 mph will be common.

We elevated Monday to a First Warn Weather Day. Even though the snow will be over, the roads may still be very hazardous. Power outages may still be widespread, and it will be brutally cold. The morning will feel like -10, and it will remain below zero with wind chills all day. This is as people are trying to get back to work and back to school.

Ice may start sooner than previously expected Saturday. See the update here.

Posted by KCTV5 News Kansas City on Friday, January 3, 2025
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday are all top-alert First Warn Weather Days.
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday are all top-alert First Warn Weather Days.(KCTV5/Luke Dorris)
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday are all top-alert First Warn Weather Days.
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday are all top-alert First Warn Weather Days.(KCTV5/Luke Dorris)
Winter Storm Watch now in effect.
Winter Storm Watch now in effect.(First Warn5 Weather)