EAX AFD still positive on snow amounts and mentions record low Monday morning.
Large upper trough just off the southern California coast is expected
to fragment into several smaller shortwaves leading to surges of
precipitation across the central and southern plains this weekend.
With the arctic airmass well entrenched across the region, any
precipitation falling across eastern KS into northern and Central
Missouri will begin and remain as snow. First in the series of short
waves is expected to build into the the region this evening, but
will be fighting an immense amount of dry air in the sub cloud
layer. As such, have slowed pops and delayed winter weather
advisory/winter storm warning to Saturday morning at midnight. As
this short wave builds into the southern plains, good jet dynamics
remain across the region with the right entrance region of a 180+
knot jet streak centered over the Ohio Valley remains across the
area through at least mid day Sunday. This upper level divergence
is enhanced by the left exit region of a secondary jet streak that
develops across central Texas into eastern Oklahoma throughout the
day on Saturday. With the frigid airmass in place, the dendritic
layer extends from roughly from the surface to 550 mb in the
atmosphere leading to very efficient ice/snow growth. With snow
ratios in the vicinity of 17-19:1, expect a drier than normal snow
to gradually accumulate through the weekend. Snow accumulations
will largely be concentrated around the short waves both on Saturday
and Sunday mornings. Snow is expected to come to an end on Sunday
afternoon from west to east as second wave deepens along the east
coast and upper level subsidence takes over drying out the
atmosphere.
In terms of snow amounts through the weekend, expect 4-8 inches of
snow along and south of I-70, with lesser amounts to the north.
The fresh snow cover and clearing skies Sunday night will allow
locations to radiate well leading to the coldest temperatures of the
season thusfar with widespread temperatures well below zero. The
record low of -10 F for MCI on Monday is in question.