Updated: Sunday, 8:30 a.m.
Snowfall predictions now forecast up to a foot of snow could fall in much of Johnson County on Sunday, according to updated assessments from the National Weather Service.
A blizzard warning remains in effect for the Kansas City metro, including Johnson County, until 3 a.m. Monday.
In addition to snow, the National Weather Service’s Kansas City field office says Sunday’s conditions could also include wind gusts as high as 40 miles per hour.
Forecasters urge residents to stay indoors.
“Visibilities may drop below 1/4 mile due to falling and blowing snow,” a National Weather Service bulletin says. “Travel could be very difficult. Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility.”
Travel should be avoided save for emergencies only, the alert says. If you must travel, have a winter survival kit in your vehicle, including blankets, a flashlight, extra food and water.
Heavy accumulating snow and blizzard conditions are expected to develop late this morning into the afternoon hours. Visibilities are anticipated to continue to decrease with wind gusts around 35-45 mph and blowing snow. Please be safe! pic.twitter.com/Oyq65OwGIG
— NWS Kansas City (@NWSKansasCity) January 5, 2025
According to National Weather Service data, the largest single-day snowfall total in Kansas City’s recorded history dates back to 1912, when more than 16 inches fell on March 23 of that year.
The next highest single-day total occurred on Jan. 18, 1962, when 11.8 inches fell, a total matching another big snowstorm in 1900.
Here is a look at the days where Kansas City has received more than 10 inches of snow in a single calendar day. It is extremely rare for KC as it has only happened 7 times during its 137-year period of record. Note #7…10.1″ on 1/5/1962 that is the record for Sunday’s date. pic.twitter.com/yXhSH0K2tp
— NWS Kansas City (@NWSKansasCity) January 4, 2025
Original story continues below:
Icy roads across the Johnson County area led to over 60 crashes reported to police on Saturday afternoon.
According to online police call logs, most crashes happened between 1:30 and 5:30 p.m. No serious injuries were reported in any of the incidents.
3 fire trucks responding to incidents involved in crashes
Numerous highway ramps in Johnson County were closed due to the layer of ice and stalled vehicles.
Emergency vehicles weren’t immune from the crashes. At least three fire trucks responding to calls were involved in low-speed crashes of their own.
A Northwest Consolidated Fire District truck responding to a crash on Kansas Highway 10 in De Soto slid off Lexington Avenue near the construction site of the new Panasonic electric vehicle battery facility just before 3 p.m.
Lenexa and Overland Park also had fire trucks involved in minor crashes with barrier walls on Interstate 435 while responding to crashes.
A Kansas Highway Patrol trooper reported his vehicle being struck on the highway at about 4 p.m., and a Johnson County Park Police officer reported his vehicle slid into another county vehicle on Antioch Road near the entrance to Antioch Park in Merriam.
No injuries to firefighters or law enforcement were reported.
Sections of highways and ramps closed on Saturday
Overland Park Police closed several stretches of U.S. 69 Highway between 95th Street and College Boulevard, including ramps in the interchange with Interstate 435.
Johnson County Med-Act enacted several phases of their transport overload protocol due to the high number of calls for service.
Med-Act reached phase three of their plan, which called for all patients to be transported to the nearest appropriate hospital facility regardless of patient preference.
Patients were also allowed to be transported by emergency vehicles that were not ambulances.
Several fire departments put their brush trucks, typically used for fighting grass fires, into service as medical responders and assisted with calls to keep larger fire trucks off the roads as much as possible.
Airports temporarily shut down
The ice also forced the temporary closure of the Johnson County Executive Airport in Olathe and the New Century AirCenter near Gardner on Saturday afternoon.
The airfields at Kansas City International Airport were also closed to all flight operations due to icing conditions at about 2:50 p.m. Flights resumed shortly after 5 p.m.
KCI’s closure caused a delay in the departure of the Kansas City Chiefs charter flight to Denver, Colorado, for their game tomorrow afternoon versus the Broncos.
The Chiefs’ flight was scheduled to depart at 2:45. The team was eventually able to take off at 5:19 p.m.
Winter Storm Warning remains in effect
Conditions are not expected to improve as the southern half of the Kansas City Metro, including Johnson County, remains under a Winter Storm Warning until 3 a.m. Monday.
According to the National Weather Service Office in Pleasant Hill, Missouri, travel will become “difficult to impossible” on Sunday when 3 to 7 inches of snow are expected in the county.
In a post to social media site just after 6 p.m. Saturday, the National Weather Service said freezing rain was expected to pick back Saturday evening. A full transition to snow is not expected until Sunday morning.
After a brief lull, another wave of light freezing drizzle/rain is lifting into/across the KC metro. Metro may not see transition to all snow until tomorrow morning.
The first wave (now over N and NE Missouri) has largely transitioned to all snow in those areas.#kswx #mowx pic.twitter.com/PObSEdmpGY
— NWS Kansas City (@NWSKansasCity) January 5, 2025
The snowfall will be followed by winds gusting to over 30 miles per hour and wind chill values approaching -10°F by early Monday.
Areas on the northern half of the Kansas City metro are under a Blizzard Warning from 3 a.m. Sunday until 3 a.m. Monday with 9 to 14 inches of snow and winds gusting to 40 miles per hour.
