Prepare for Impact: Major Winter Storm Scheduled for Sunday

• A Winter Storm Alert Is in Place from 10PM Saturday until 6 AM Monday
• Significant Mix in Metro of Snow/Sleet, Increased Snow North, Increased Ice South
• Sunday Evening-Monday Morning: Change to All Snow Before Storm Exits

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Saturday: Today serves as the calm before the winter storm that arrives overnight. If you have last-minute preparations to complete (such as purchasing salt for the driveway, acquiring a shovel or sled, etc.), today is the day to undertake those tasks! It will be chilly with temperatures hovering around freezing this afternoon. While some minor precipitation in the form of sleet or snow may occur late this evening, the primary wave of wintry weather will arrive after 1am tonight.

Winter Storm Intensifies Late Saturday Night, Concludes Monday Morning: The upcoming winter storm is expected to begin late Saturday night into early Sunday. The forecasted onset time in St. Louis is between 10 PM Saturday and 3 AM Sunday. Initially, the snow and sleet will be minimal, so we do not expect major travel disruptions late this evening. However, exercise caution and drive with care if you’re out late. The most intense wintry precipitation will develop later tonight, spreading across the area closer to 2 AM. This will lead to road conditions deteriorating rapidly overnight and into Sunday. The storm will reach its peak Sunday morning and afternoon. A diverse range of precipitation will be present from north to south on Sunday morning through afternoon. Regions north of I-70 will experience all snow. In the St. Louis metro area, expect mostly sleet initially, which could accumulate to several inches. Indeed, the St. Louis region may not witness any snow until much later in the day. Areas receiving the most sleet will see slightly reduced snow amounts, while regions with lesser sleet accumulation will receive more snow. Additionally, regions further south will encounter freezing rain, with accumulations varying from 1/4″ to 3/4″. This amount of ice is significant enough to cause tree damage and power outages, particularly in Reynolds and Iron Counties, where the highest icing totals are predicted.

Focusing on the St. Louis metro… Specifying totals is challenging due to the diverse types of precipitation anticipated. Expect heavier snow and lesser ice on the northern side of the metro (around and north of I-70) with 5-9″ of a snow/sleet mixture. If we receive less sleet, that total may increase slightly. With an increase in sleet, that would lower the totals. On the southern side of the metro (south of I-70), we predict less snow and more sleet with a 3-7″ snow sleet mixture. It’s plausible that many may not see significant accumulations on Sunday if it mostly falls as sleet (which does not accumulate as much as snow but still can result in icy/slippery conditions). Some freezing rain is also possible within the metro, although it becomes increasingly likely as you move south of downtown. It remains tricky to determine where specific amounts will fall, as it hinges on just a couple of degrees in temperature at 5,000 feet above ground level.

Though this storm clears out by Monday, temperatures are forecasted to remain below freezing for nearly a week. Therefore, any snow and/or ice will linger for several days. Travel repercussions are anticipated on Sunday. If you can, refrain from using the roads. The Monday morning commute may still pose challenges as snow exits the area, and untreated roads will likely remain slick.

A Winter Storm Alert Is in Effect from 10PM Saturday until 6 AM Monday. This alert encompasses the St. Louis Metro. Reynolds & Iron counties are under an Ice Storm Alert.

Some Brief Definitions…

Sleet: These are the ice pellets (frozen raindrops) that bounce upon impact with the ground or your vehicle. While ample sleet can render roads slick, sleet does not pose a power outage risk and does not cover every surface like freezing rain.

Freezing rain: This occurs when raindrops freeze upon contact with the ground, creating treacherous and slippery walking and driving situations. Ice from freezing rain poses a power outage threat when exceeding 0.25″ and is especially critical near 0.5″.

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