Winter weather will continue through the evening in eastern Kansas, but Brian Barjenbruch, with the National Weather Service, says the storm could have been much worse. Dry air moved in and helped reduce snowfall amounts.
“To have the snow grow you need to have very moist air, saturated air. When this dry air came in it effectively evaporated some of the snow before it could ever fall,” says Barjenbruch.
Barjenbruch says there could be continued sleet through the evening in eastern Kansas and up to two inches of additional snow accumulation, which means continued hazardous driving. Kimberly Qualls, with the Kansas Department of Transportation, says crews have been trying to deal with a variety of road conditions.
“For a couple of miles there may be sleet, and then two miles further they may hit snow and then freezing rain, which does make it challenging for the treating and plowing because you treat a little bit different each of those scenarios,” says Qualls.
Qualls says the storm is expected to move out of the area tonight, but low temperatures could mean some slick roads through the morning commute tomorrow (TUE).