The commute Friday morning is expected to be smooth sailing, but conditions will worsen throughout the day as another patch of wintry weather will blanket the Kansas City area, leaving behind as much as 6 inches of snow.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory through 6 p.m. Friday for Wyandotte, Johnson, Miami and Leavenworth counties in Kansas and Jackson, Platte, Clay and Cass counties in Missouri.
The advisory means travel conditions will be difficult, despite the the clear weather in the morning. Another round of snow is likely to hit beginning mid-morning and continue through mid-afternoon.
“Don’t be fooled by the early morning commute!” the weather service tweeted early Friday.
Some areas could receive between 2 and 4 inches of snow while isolated areas could get up to 5 inches. This will make for some hazardous road conditions.
The heaviest snowfall is likely to hit between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Snowfall rates could reach 1 inch per hour during that time across west-central Missouri and adjacent eastern Kansas. Snow may accumulate quickly on area roadways, according to the National Weather Service.
Expect the evening commute to be slow and messy.
Many school districts across Kansas City gave students an early jump on the weekend by canceling classes Thursday evening. Other school districts and private schools said they plan to monitor weather conditions before deciding whether to dismiss early.
Most afternoon and evening school activities may be canceled because of the anticipated inclement weather.
Road crews for the Missouri Department of Transportation plan to gear up this morning, said MoDOT spokesperson Markl Johnson.
There’s salt already down because of the previous snow events. Crews are expected to treat bridges and overpasses as the need arises, Johnson said.
But for now, crews are getting their equipment ready by checking hydraulic lines, snow blades, security chains on the blades, oil, and tire pressure, he said.
The good news is Monday is Presidents’ Day, a federal holiday. That will give those who have Friday off from work or school a nice four-day weekend to enjoy — or deal with — the snow.
This story was originally published February 15, 2019 6:35 AM.
