KANSAS CITY MetroRegion WEATHER: ICE STORM WARNING NORTH

The National Weather Service has issued an Ice Storm Warning for much of northeastern and northern Kansas and Northwestern Missouri- the latter including the ST. Joseph Metro area- for Saturday.

In addition- a "Freezing Rain Advisory" will be in effect early Saturday morning for Metro Kansas City as well as Lawrence and Topeka-KS..

Any freezing precipitation will turn to rain Saturday morning before any significant accumulations fall in KC- Lawrence and Topeka.

Here are some sample statements from both the Topeka and Pleasant Hill NWS offices:

REPUBLIC- WASHINGTON- MARSHALL- NEMAHA- BROWN- CLOUD- CLAY- RILEY- POTTAWATOMIE- JACKSON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF: MARYSVILLE... HIAWATHA... CONCORDIA... CLAY CENTER... MANHATTAN
400 AM CST FRI NOV 30 2007

...ICE STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM CST
SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED AN ICE STORM
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM CST
SATURDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE QUARTER TO ONE THIRD OF AN INCH ARE
EXPECTED GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF A CONCORDIA TO CLAY CENTER
TO HOLTON LINE. WINDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH MAY CAUSE ICE COVERED TREE
BRANCHES AND POWER LINES TO FALL...PLAN AHEAD IN CASE POWER
OUTAGES OCCUR. ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL MAKE FOR VERY HAZARDOUS
DRIVING CONDITIONS FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING.

FREEZING RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY CHANGE OVER TO RAIN BY
THE LATE MORNING HOURS ON SATURDAY AND MUCH OF THE ICE
ACCUMULATION MAY MELT. REMAIN ALERT FOR ANY DOWNED TREE BRANCHES OR
POWER LINES EVEN AFTER THE ICE HAS MELTED.

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URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
619 AM CST FRI NOV 30 2007

ATCHISON KS-DONIPHAN-ATCHISON MO-NODAWAY-HOLT-ANDREW-BUCHANAN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ATCHISON...TROY...TARKIO...ROCKPORT...
MARYVILLE...MOUND CITY...OREGON...SAVANNAH...ST. JOSEPH
619 AM CST FRI NOV 30 2007

...ICE STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 1 PM CST
SATURDAY...

AN ICE STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 1 PM CST
SATURDAY.

SIGNIFICANT ICE AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS IN EXCESS OF ONE QUARTER
INCH IS EXPECTED TO ACCUMULATE ACROSS NORTHWEST MISSOURI AND
EXTREME NORTHEAST KANSAS BY LATE SATURDAY MORNING. FREEZING RAIN
AND SLEET IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS OF
SATURDAY MORNING WITH PERIODS OF MODERATE FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET
LIKELY BEFORE TEMPERATURES RISE ABOVE THE FREEZING MARK LATE
SATURDAY MORNING. IN ADDITION...EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS
INCREASING TO 20 TO 30 MPH MAY CAUSE ICE COVERED POWER LINES AND
TREE LIMBS TO FALL.

AN ICE STORM WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF ICE ACCUMULATIONS
WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS OR IMPOSSIBLE. TRAVEL IS STRONGLY
DISCOURAGED. COMMERCE WILL LIKELY BE SEVERELY IMPACTED. IF YOU
MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR
VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. ICE ACCUMULATIONS AND WINDS WILL
LIKELY LEAD TO SNAPPED POWER LINES AND FALLING TREE BRANCHES THAT
ADD TO THE DANGER.

LEAVENWORTH-WYANDOTTE-JOHNSON KS-PLATTE-CLAY-JACKSON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LEAVENWORTH...KANSAS CITY KS...
OVERLAND PARK...OLATHE...PARKVILLE...PLATTE CITY...WESTON...
LIBERTY...EXCELSIOR SPRINGS...KANSAS CITY...INDEPENDENCE
619 AM CST FRI NOV 30 2007

...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM CST
SATURDAY...

A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM CST
SATURDAY.

ICE ACCUMULATIONS AROUND A TENTH OF AN INCH ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS
THE GREATER KANSAS CITY AREA STARTING DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS
OF SATURDAY MORNING. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO WARM ABOVE THE
FREEZING MARK BY MID MORNING WITH THE FREEZING RAIN CHANGING OVER
TO RAIN. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO CLIMB INTO THE 40S BY
AFTERNOON AND MELT ANY ICE THAT REMAINS.

A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR
FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

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I will post updates on this developing situation throughout the day into Saturday morning as the news center is fired up at midnight.

Please take any necessary precautions NOW....

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