Arctic cold and strong winds pose danger

Arctic air will be surging into Missouri for the start of the work week.

The National Weather Service reports strong northwest winds will produce near blizzard conditions due to blowing and drifting snow this evening. The danger from blowing and drifting snow will subside later tonight but temperatures will continue to plummet.

This bitter cold combined with the strong winds will drop wind chills to dangerous levels tonight and Monday, and it now appears that the dangerous cold will linger into Monday night and Tuesday.

This will be some of the coldest weather in several decades for Missouri.

The National Weather Service has issued the following advisory:

...WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT...

...WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON CST TUESDAY...

  • TIMING...ALTHOUGH THE HEAVY SNOW DIMINISHED DURING THE AFTERNOON... THE DANGER OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW IN OUTLYING AREAS WILL BE INCREASING AS NORTHWEST WINDS CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY. THE FALLING TEMPERATURES WITH THESE INTENSE WINDS WILL ALSO MAKE FOR VERY DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY.
  • ACCUMULATIONS... 6 TO 13 INCHES OF SNOW.
  • WIND CHILL... AS LOW AS 36 BELOW DUE TO TEMPERATURES 13 BELOW TO 10 ABOVE ZERO... AND WINDS WEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.
  • WINDS... WEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.
  • IMPACTS... THE COMBINATION OF THE SNOW AND THE GUSTY WIND WILL CAUSE NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS IN OPEN AREAS...EVEN AS THE FALLING SNOW DIMINISHES. VISIBILITIES WILL DROP BELOW ONE-QUARTER MILE... AND THE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL CAUSE ROADS TO BECOME IMPASSIBLE. WITH SUCH POOR TRAVEL CONDITIONS AND WITH WIND CHILLS PLUMMETING TO DANGEROUS LEVELS... ANYONE THAT BECOMES STRANDED IN A VECHILE MAY ENCOUNTER A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. THESE CONDITIONS ARE VERY RARE FOR THIS AREA SO ANYONE CONSIDERING TRAVEL SHOULD NOT TAKE THIS WEATHER SITUATION LIGHTLY AND BE CERTAIN TO TAKE THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO STAY SAFE. THE BEST ADVICE IS TO AVOID TRAVEL UNLESS IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS THAT 6 INCHES OR MORE OF SNOW IS EXPECTED. THE RAPID ACCUMULATION OF SNOW WILL MAKE TRAVEL EXTREMELY DIFFICULT... IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE. IF TRAVEL IS NECESSARY... MAKE SURE TO EXERCISE CAUTION. BEGIN YOUR TRAVEL WITH A TANK FULL OF GAS... AND CARRY A WINTER STORM KIT WHICH INCLUDES A SHOVEL... FLASHLIGHT... CELLPHONE... AND BLANKETS PLUS DRESS IN EXTRA WARM CLOTHING.

A WIND CHILL WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN A STRONG WIND COMBINES WITH VERY LOW TEMPERATURES TO CREATE LIFE-THREATENING CONDITIONS. THE COLD AIR AND WIND WILL MAKE IT FEEL LIKE IT IS 25 DEGREES BELOW ZERO OR COLDER FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THOSE PLANNING TO VENTURE OUTDOORS SHOULD BE CERTAIN TO DRESS PROPERLY... WITH SEVERAL LAYERS OF LIGHT WEIGHT...LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL EXPOSED SKIN IS COVERED.

Additional weather resources

School closings, weather-related announcements for Monday, Jan. 6 (Mobile devices here)

Local forecast, radar, advisories (Mobile devices here)

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