By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
Forecasters are watching a second storm system that could bring a wintry mix of precipitation to eastern Kansas and northwest Missouri over the New Year’s holiday.
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for most of the region from midnight tonight until 6 p.m. Friday, while areas to the south and east of St. Joseph/Kansas City are under a Winter Storm Warning.
The exact timing and track of the storm is somewhat uncertain, but meteorologist Brandon Drake with the National Weather Service office in Topeka says areas to the north of Kansas City are more likely to see snow instead of ice.
"Assuming that it's going to be what we're looking at (Wednesday), you can expect the area of northern Missouri back through Topeka and Wichita to see more snow rather than ice," Drake said.
Drake says the area could see 1-3 inches of snow with locally higher amounts possible. Up to 0.2" of ice accumulation is also possible.
This storm also comes during a normally busy travel time on New Year’s Eve. Regardless of what day it is, Drake says the proper precautions do not change.
"Because it's a holiday, it's always significant," Drake pointed out. "Even if we were looking at an inch of snow, it's something that's going to get highlighted more than it normally would most likely just because of the timing. Regardless, what people need to do stays the same."