WEATHER ALERT DAY: Snow accumulations could create slick conditions tonight into Monday morning

The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Team is tracking the potential for minor snow accumulations along and north of I-70 Sunday night into Monday.

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect north of I-70 through 9 a.m. Monday morning, where 1 to 2 inches of snow is possible, with very isolated amounts up to 4 inches. This is where we could see patchy slick spots early Monday, though impacts will be limited by warm road temperatures.

Rain will arrive early Sunday evening, with a thin band of sleet possibly mixing in along the I-70 corridor at times. As temperatures drop overnight, snow will become the main precipitation type north of I-70, while areas south of the interstate continue to see rain. This wintry mix will pass quickly, ending before sunrise for most, but drizzle may linger in southern Missouri early Monday morning.

SETUP

The forecast remains complicated by warmer air at the ground and just above the surface, leading to a transition from rain to a rain/sleet mix, then snow as you head from north to south in Central Missouri. While we may see light freezing rain at times, warm surface temperatures will prevent ice from sticking.

Where we see a mixture of precipitation along I-70, measurable snow accumulations are unlikely. In areas where snow is the dominant precipitation type, snow accumulations are possible, but mostly where it falls at a great enough rate to overcome a warm surface environment.

We've been exceptionally warm to kick off the weekend, which has warmed ground temperatures notably, enough so that it should have a limiting impact on accumulations. Marginal temperatures at the surface further limit impacts for many, but more intense precipitation could overcome a slightly warmer environment, leaving more isolated areas of impact.

FUTURETRACK

This winter storm will pass through the area quickly overnight, with the heaviest snow and rain between about 6 p.m. and midnight. Precipitation will exit before sunrise for most, but drizzle may linger over the Lake of the Ozarks and I-44 through early Monday morning.

Roads could become slick or slushy along and north of I-70 early Monday, but temperatures will recover into the afternoon, climbing into the 40s with overcast skies.

IMPACTS

Precipitation looks to exit to the east/southeast by early Monday morning, but with temperatures during the event likely to be coldest on Monday morning, this is when roads are likely to be the worst. Snow is our most likely impact on roads, but with temperatures near freezing or a few degrees above, we'll need to be mindful of light icing on bridges and elevated surfaces, though we do not expect this to be a widespread impact.

Make sure to give yourself extra time Sunday night and Monday morning, and download the ABC 17 Stormtrack weather and news apps to keep an eye on any closings and delays that may pop up on Monday morning.