Updated, Monday, 6 p.m.
Johnson County schools have preemptively called off classes Tuesday ahead of yet another round of winter weather that is expected to drop up to a half-foot or more of snow on the region and also bring with it sub-zero wind chills.
By Monday evening, five of the six public school districts in Johnson County had announced classes for Tuesday will be canceled. (The sixth, Shawnee Mission, had a scheduled professional learning day with students not set to be at school anyway.)
The other districts that called off school include:
- Blue Valley
- Gardner Edgerton
- Olathe
- Spring Hill
- USD 232 De Soto
Original story continues below:Â
An arctic freeze will send temperatures in the area this week to potentially record-setting lows and bring yet another round of snow to Johnson County and the greater Kansas City area.
Starting Monday, a new blast of winter weather will see snowfall ramping up over the next two days and temperatures with wind chills dropping to well below freezing.
While the weather isn’t expected to bring more ice, a combination of freezing temperatures, wind and snow has weather experts warning people to bundle up and if possible, stay indoors.
“We’re expecting winter weather driving conditions that could be hazardous to travel,” said Meteorologist Brad Temeyer with the National Weather Service’s Kansas City office. “So for those that have travel plans on Tuesday, it might be best to postpone those or delay those until the winter storm is over with — or get them done [Monday] — realizing, though, that even then you’re still dealing with some light snow across the area.”
It is a very active weather week across the region. Accumulating snow is expected today and tomorrow, with frigid temperatures/wind chills Tuesday- Friday. Record low temperatures are possible Wednesday through late week. pic.twitter.com/3cBfQ16D6t
— NWS Kansas City (@NWSKansasCity) February 17, 2025
How cold will it get?
Snow is expected to start falling Monday, with accumulations of less than an inch for Johnson County, Temeyer said.
From there, the temperatures will continue to drop and the snow will ramp up from Tuesday through Wednesday.
Along with that, a variety of weather warnings are being issued.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from midnight Tuesday to 3 a.m. Wednesday, with expected snow accumulations of five to seven inches across Johnson County.
A Cold Weather Advisory will be in effect from 9 p.m. Monday to 6 p.m. Wednesday, with very cold wind chills expected to get as low as -15 to -25 degrees Fahrenheit.
On Wednesday evening, it could potentially get so cold that a rare Extreme Cold Watch is in effect from Wednesday evening through Thursday morning, with possible wind chills as low as -25 to -30.
Will there be ice?
There is no threat of ice or a wintry mix for this storm, Temeyer said.
“(There will be) no ice at all. It’s just so cold that it can create snow very easily in this type of atmosphere,” he said. “You’ll notice that when the snow actually falls, it’ll be very fluffy snow just because it’s so cold.”
Because of potential winds, Temeyer did warn that snow drifts are possible.
How can I stay safe?
The best way to stay safe is to stay off the roads after the snow has fallen and the temperatures have dropped, Temeyer said.
If you have to go outside, Temeyer suggests bundling up to protect yourself from the wind and snow.
“Prolonged exposure (to the cold) of greater than 30 minutes could lead to frostbite in these types of conditions,” he said. “Given that’s the case, we advise that if you have to go out for long periods into the elements, make sure to dress in layers and cover any exposed skin, so that way … you’re minimizing the threat of frostbite.”
For houses or apartments without adequate insulation or heating, Temeyer also suggests running faucets at a slow drip.
“That way, then you’re not worried about pipes freezing or anything like that,” he said.
All Johnson County Library branches serve as emergency warming centers during their daytime hours of operation.
There will also be limited space at the Salvation Army in Olathe for those seeking relief indoors from the cold.
Project 1020 in Lenexa remains the only overnight cold-weather emergency shelter for single individuals experiencing homelessness.
For those in need of a warming center, more information is available on the Johnson County government’s website.
When will it end?
This week’s weather is the result of another arctic push from the north that Temeyer of the National Weather Service said has made for an uncharacteristically cold, snowy season in the Kansas City area.
“We are looking at above-normal snowstorm totals across the region for this winter,” he said.
The good news: This could be the final winter blast of the season, Temeyer said.
“After this is all said and done, models are suggesting that much warmer conditions will start to develop across the lower 48 (states),” he said. “So it’s possible this may be one of the last tastes of winter.”
The Extreme Cold Watch officially ends at noon on Thursday but temperatures will stay relatively frigid on Friday, with a forecast high of 20 degrees.
After that, longer-term forecasts show temperatures rising noticeably over the weekend, reaching the 50s by early next week.
