The KOMU 8 First Alert Weather Team has arrived Storm mode 3 (on a scale of 0-5) to Tuesday morning (February 16).
This is for accumulating snow as well as dangerously cold temperatures.
We track two snow waves on Monday, plus very cold temperatures, and then more snow potential in the middle of the week.
GOLF ONE: EARLY MONDAY MORNING (Storm Mode 3)
This first snow wave has already ended with a total accumulation of about 1-2 “since Sunday evening. Snow shifts of 4-6” have also been measured and may also create an “indeterminate road surface”.
Wind chills from -20 to -30 and air temperatures below freezing, together with the snow, form dangerous conditions.
Vehicles may not start under these conditions due to freezing temperatures.
The first wave.
GOLF TWO: MONDAY (Storm Mode 3)
Monday morning, after sunrise, there will be a dry season. DON’T LET YOU DO IT. More snow is coming. In fact, chances are there will be more accumulation Monday afternoon and evening than we will see from the first wave in the early morning hours.
The second snow wave arrives mid-late morning on Monday. Snow will last all afternoon and much of the evening. This will be slightly powdery snow and will blow easily in the northerly wind which will sustain 10-15 mph and gusts of up to 25 mph. As a result, more snow drifts are expected.
Visibility is also reduced.
Accumulation will resume immediately and temperatures will be too cold for road treatment other than scraping.
In total, we expect from both snowwaves that much of central Missouri will see 2-5 “of accumulation, with more for the southeastern portion of the KOMU 8 viewing area and less for the northern portion. St. Louis will see even more through more moisture availability and more lift in the atmosphere.
The chills stay between 10 and 20 degrees below zero all day long.
HEALTH CHECK
Hypothermia occurs when your body temperature drops below 95ºF. If you’ve been exposed to cold air for some time and you have these symptoms, call 911.
Frostbite can occur on exposed skin within 30 minutes if the chills are close to -20º or below.
TUESDAY SUNSHINE
Yes! We are talking about sunshine and a “warming” trend.
Morning temperatures will be possibly the coldest we’ve seen during this winter extravaganza, with lows between 5 and 10 degrees below zero, and chills reaching 20 to 30 degrees below zero.
A mix of sun and clouds during the day helps the temperatures warm up into the 10s Tuesday afternoon. Soothing winds should also limit the wind chill during the day.
WEDNESDAY SNOW
Wednesday has a chance to accumulate snow as another system moves across the southern United States. We will have a high pressure (stable atmosphere) in our northwest, and that could hold most of the snow build-up in southern Missouri. It’s too early to know for sure. At this point, I expect at least a dusting to 2 “in central Missouri on Wednesday. Stay tuned.
A WARMING TREND … KINDA
If you’re ready for warmer weather, there is good news. From Saturday we should be above freezing again – which we haven’t felt since February 5th. Seasonal temperatures could return as early as next week, with high temperatures reaching 40 again.