Snowfall falls short of predictions in Kansas; What we got and what’s to come:
Wichita saw about 3.2 inches of snow Friday through noon Saturday, with the potential for several more inches before the storm ends, said James Cuellar, a Wichita-based National Weather Service meteorologist.
Wichita was it was initially forecast to snow 6-10 inches. Wichita will likely now be in the 4-6 inch range, Cuellar said.
Areas north of Wichita have already seen more snow than that; the highest amount of snow was around seven inches near Beloit.
However, much of Kansas will see less snow than originally predicted, as the storm that affected much of the eastern half of the United States has now shifted south of most of Kansas.
The National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center’s Saturday storm map now shows the winter storm missing most of Kansas. Weather models earlier in the week indicated that a snowstorm was on track for Kansas.
Here’s a look at how much snow has fallen in Kansas by 10 a.m. Saturday:
An overview of snowfall across the state.
Friday’s forecast also called for two rounds of snowfall in the Wichita area, the second of which would occur Saturday night into Sunday morning. Cuellar said the forecast showed snowfall throughout the day on Saturday, and that it would probably decrease in the evening.
But he said tonight’s snowfall “will be right on the edge of Wichita” and is more likely to hit along and east of the Turnpike in south-central and southeast Kansas. He said the band would be a “pretty sharp line” and 20 mph would mean a big difference in snowfall.
If it hits Wichita directly, it could push snowfall totals on the upper end to about 7 inches, he said. This will also keep snowfall in Wichita continuing through Sunday morning.
Although initial snow forecasts were inadequate, the biggest concern in Kansas with this storm was cold. The coldest wind chill in Wichita so far was minus 17 degrees Friday night before 11 p.m., and the wind chill remained in the negatives throughout Saturday morning. The temperature hasn’t risen above single digits since late Friday morning.
Negative wind chills are still expected on Sunday and Monday mornings.
There are still concerns of “catastrophic ice accumulation” in states south and east of Kansas, according to the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center.
“Extended power outages, extensive tree damage, and extremely dangerous and impassable travel conditions are likely.” prediction center said. “Catastrophic impacts are expected where freezing rain amounts exceed half an inch and localized ice accumulation of more than an inch is possible in northern Louisiana, central and northern Mississippi, southern Tennessee and the southern Appalachians.”
