Kansas City Thanksgiving: Rain, Snow, and Travel Updates
As Thanksgiving approaches, residents of Kansas City, plus areas in Kansas and Missouri north of I-70 all the way to St. Louis, may find themselves peeling potatoes in a drizzle before bundling up for a brisk, potentially snowy holiday weekend. Local forecasts point to a mixed bag: rain for the big day, then colder air likely pushing in behind it – enough that Saturday night into Sunday could deliver a light rain-to-snow transition.
One thing’s for sure, the weather will be much more pleasant when the Chiefs play the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
KSHB-41 meteorologist Mike Nicco warns that Saturday’s rain may shift to snow by evening, with dusting-to-2-inch accumulations possible, especially on elevated surfaces. Their forecast team says travel could be tricky in places, particularly near I-70 and farther north.
That chilly pattern begins building immediately after Thanksgiving. According to KMBC’s winter outlook, highs are expected to slide into the 30s by Thursday afternoon even though the sun may peek through. By Friday, frigid northerly winds could drive low temperatures well below freezing.
Longer-range climatology backs up that risk: November in Kansas City typically brings a few rainy days – and only very light average snowfall (less than half an inch) over the month. The Old Farmer’s Almanac also weighs in with a “patchwork” holiday forecast, noting scattered showers in the Midwest around Nov. 27, but no major travel-disrupting blizzard.
Bottom line: for Thanksgiving travel and football gatherings, be ready for damp roads Thursday evening. Plan on layering for Friday and Saturday – and don’t rule out a few slippery spots if the models verify and that weekend system nudges in colder air.
Former Kansas City meteorologist Gary Lezak says he’s not trying to get his hopes up for a good snowfall. He posted the computer model above with his fingers crossed.
–Dwight Widaman
