Ice Storm in Kansas, January 14 to 15, 2017

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
548 PM CST Sat Jan 14 2017

.Discussion...
Issued at 359 PM CST SAT JAN 14 2017

Forecast largely remains on track for the likelihood of a
significant ice storm to impact the forecast area. This discussion
focuses on changes in current forecast anticipations. First, an
expanding area of precipitation continues to move through portions of
southern/western Kansas into northwest Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle.
Operational and high-res models continue to struggle with this
initial round/leading edge of precipitation, and have been too
aggressive when moving this area of liquid and dissipating it into
the dry air currently downstream from precip. In reality, this
large area of freezing rain has been expanding and progressing
towards eastern Kansas. Likewise, have increased precipitation
chances and ice amounts across the southwest quarter of the CWA
after 00Z when some form of this activity should move into the
area. This would include the next potential round of glaze for
the KC Metro area.

Most models have trended a little more aggressive in the way of
precipitation between midnight and noon Sunday. Have adjusted ice
amounts up from this morning, with most locations projected to
receive a quarter to one-half inch of ice. That said, probability
is increasing that a narrow zone, perhaps a line from KC to
Moberly, favorable for locally higher amounts of ice accumulation
will develop where the longest duration of ice will exist. Across
northern Missouri, some of the precipitation may be mixed with
sleet where a cooler elevated warm layer exists, and that may
lower some ice amounts. Again, prepare for a widespread ice event,
with ice accumulations averaging 0.25-0.50" with locally higher
amounts especially from KC to Moberly.

Uncertainty continues to how far north and how quickly the freezing
line will move from south to north during Sunday afternoon. The
latest thinking places the surface freezing line at noon Sunday
still south of the Interstate 70 corridor. This line slowly shifts
north to along or just north of Interstate 70 by 6pm Sunday. The
slower change provides a slightly longer window for freezing rain to
occur along and north of Interstate 70 during Sunday afternoon and
evening. It should be noted that impacts from the ice may continue
for at least several hours after the freezing line passes, so extra
caution should be exercised if travel is necessary, even when
temperatures initially warm above 32 degrees.

Periods of precipitation will continue Sunday night into Monday.
Warmer air will continue to advect into the area ahead of the storm
system, with all areas reaching above freezing by sunrise Monday
morning, effectively ending all freezing rain. Surface low pressure
will move across the CWA Monday evening, with the area dry-slotted
thereafter and precipitation ending. The work week ahead looks dry
with above normal temperatures.

&&

.Aviation...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Sunday Evening)
Issued at 538 PM CST SAT JAN 14 2017

MVFR cigs are expect tonight before midnight before becoming IFR
for the remain of the TAF pd. The main concern again this TAF pd
will be the potential for freezing rain causing icing and reduced
or nil breaking action. A first round of showers is movg into ern
KS however they may remain just S of the terminals thus the VCSH
beginning btn 03Z-05Z. the main area concern is with area of
freezing rain acrs central KS which looks to start a prolonged
period of freezing rain beginning around 09Z. Tomorrow afternoon
freezing rain will transition over to rain.

&&

.EAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KS...Ice Storm Warning until 3 PM CST Sunday for KSZ057-060.

     Ice Storm Warning until 6 AM CST Monday for KSZ025-102.

     Ice Storm Warning until midnight CST Sunday night for KSZ103>105.

MO...Ice Storm Warning until 3 PM CST Sunday for MOZ033-038>040-
     043>046-053-054.

     Ice Storm Warning until 6 AM CST Monday for MOZ001>008-011>017-
     020>024.

     Ice Storm Warning until midnight CST Sunday night for MOZ025-
     028>032-037.

&&

Discussion...Blair
Aviation...73

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
346 PM CST SAT JAN 14 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1218 AM     FREEZING RAIN    3 N PLATTE CITY         39.41N 94.79W
01/14/2017  E0.00 INCH       PLATTE             MO   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            *** 1 FATAL, 3 INJ *** DELAYED REPORT. A VAN WITH 12
            PEOPLE RAN OFF THE ROAD AT MM 20.8 ON SB INTERSTATE 29
            OVERNIGHT. ONE PERSON IN THE VAN DIED AS A RESULT OF THE
            ACCIDENT AND 3 OTHERS WERE TRANSPORTED WITH MINOR TO
            MODERATE INJURIES. THIS ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE SHORTLY AFTER
            MIDNIGHT EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. TIME WAS GATHERED FROM
            POLICE REPORT. LAW ENFORCEMENT CONFIRMED THE CAUSE OF THE
            ACCIDENT WAS ICE ON THE ROAD.

&&

JL