Those that have been wanting a taste of spring will get it Saturday as storm chances return to the area. With that though is the possibility of isolated strong storms. If you have outdoor activities planned for Saturday, remember when thunder roars, go indoors! It will quiet down for Sunday and most of Monday, but another chance for precipitation returns late Monday through Wednesday. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: Patchy fog before 9 a.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. East wind around 7 mph.

Tonight: Showers, mainly after 9 p.m. Low around 39. East wind 7 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Saturday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 50. Breezy, with a southeast wind 11 to 16 mph becoming west 18 to 23 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 32 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 27. Breezy, with a west northwest wind 13 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 41. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 21.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 45.

Monday Night: Rain and snow likely before 1 a.m., then rain likely between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., then sleet likely after 3 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday: Freezing rain, possibly mixed with sleet before 9 a.m., then rain. High near 44. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Tuesday Night: Rain. Low around 39. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Wednesday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 56. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. Breezy.

Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 46.

Snow will continue today across far northern Missouri, resulting in a swath of 1-2 inches with locally higher amounts possible. In contrast to today’s wintry weather, a few strong storms are possible on Saturday especially south of Highway 36. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: A slight chance of drizzle after 2 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 37. East wind 14 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

Tonight: A slight chance of drizzle before 9 p.m., then a slight chance of freezing drizzle between 9 p.m. and midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 26. East wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

Friday: Patchy fog before 7 a.m. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 41. East wind 5 to 7 mph.

Friday Night: Showers after midnight. Low around 35. East southeast wind 6 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before noon, then a chance of showers. High near 51. Breezy, with a southeast wind 13 to 21 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 26. Breezy.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 40.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 22.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 42.

Monday Night: A chance of snow showers after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Tuesday: Rain and snow showers. High near 44. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Tuesday Night: Rain and snow showers. Low around 36. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Wednesday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Light snow will move across far northern Missouri late tonight and continue through the day on Thursday. Accumulations will generally remain in the 1 to 2 inch range. Otherwise the remainder of the area should see mostly dry conditions with temperatures continuing a slow climb through late week. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: Increasing clouds, with a high near 35. South wind 5 to 9 mph.

Tonight: A slight chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. Light and variable wind becoming east 5 to 9 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 36. East wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

Thursday Night: Cloudy, with a low around 24. North wind 6 to 10 mph.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 40. North wind around 6 mph.

Friday Night: Showers likely after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Saturday: Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. High near 52. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 40.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 22.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 42.

Monday Night: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Tuesday: Rain and snow likely. Cloudy, with a high near 43. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Temperatures will begin to be moderate today but values are expected to remain well below normal through the end of the week. Snow chances return to portions of northern Missouri on Thursday before widespread rains impact much of the region on Saturday. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service: 

Today: Sunny, with a high near 20. Wind chill values between -3 and 7. Northwest wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 4. Wind chill values between -5 and zero. West northwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming light and variable.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 36. Wind chill values between -3 and 7. South southwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night: A slight chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. East wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Thursday: A chance of rain and snow before 4 p.m., then a chance of rain between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., then a chance of rain and snow after 5 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 35. East wind 9 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: A slight chance of rain before 7 p.m., then a slight chance of freezing drizzle between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 42.

Friday Night: Snow likely after midnight, mixing with rain after 3 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday: Rain. High near 50. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain before midnight, then a chance of rain and snow between midnight and 1am, then a chance of snow after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 41.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 24.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 42.

A sunny day won’t be enough to get temperatures out of the basement this afternoon, but a slow rise back toward more seasonable temperatures is expected through the week. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny and cold, with a high near 13. Wind chill values between -6 and -16. West wind 9 to 13 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 4. Wind chill values between -9 and zero. West wind around 9 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 21. Wind chill values between -1 and -11. Northwest wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 6. Wind chill values between -2 and 3. West northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 35. Light and variable wind becoming south southwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning.

Wednesday Night: A chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday: A chance of snow before 3 p.m., then a chance of rain and snow. Cloudy, with a high near 35. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 41.

Friday Night: A chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday: Rain and snow. High near 46. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 41.

Snow will taper off this morning but areas of blowing and drifting snow may continue through the afternoon. Very cold temperatures are expected through Tuesday, then slightly warmer (but still below average) temperatures may develop by midweek. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: Snow, mainly before noon. Patchy blowing snow before 11 a.m. High near 10. Wind chill values between -5 and -12. North wind 15 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total daytime snow accumulation of around an inch possible.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around -7. Wind chill values between -12 and -20. North northwest wind 7 to 15 mph.

Monday: Sunny and cold, with a high near 12. Wind chill values between -13 and -23. West northwest wind 7 to 11 mph.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 5. Wind chill values between -8 and zero. West wind 7 to 9 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 19. Northwest wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 5.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 33.

Wednesday Night: A chance of snow after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday: Snow likely before 3 p.m., then rain and snow likely. Cloudy, with a high near 36. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Thursday Night: Rain and snow likely before 7 p.m., then a chance of snow between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 42.

Friday Night: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday: Rain and snow. High near 43. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Another winter system will impact the area beginning late Saturday and continuing into Sunday. A few inches of snow will be possible along the Iowa/Missouri border with increasing amounts to the south. Highest snowfall totals of 3 to 7 inches are expected along and south of Interstate 70. Much colder temperatures will work in behind this system and by Monday morning will see temperatures fall from near zero to the negative single digits. Dangerous wind chills of -15 to -20 will accompany the much colder temperatures Monday morning. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 36. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Light northwest wind becoming north northwest 5 to 10 mph in the evening.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 27. North northeast wind 9 to 11 mph.

Saturday Night: Snow, mainly after midnight. Patchy blowing snow after 5 a.m. Low around 13. North northeast wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Sunday: Snow likely before noon. Patchy blowing snow before 8 a.m. Mostly cloudy and cold, with a high near 15. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around -3.

Monday: Sunny and cold, with a high near 13.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 6.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 22.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 9.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 35.

Wednesday Night: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Thursday: A chance of rain and snow. Cloudy, with a high near 37. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

By Sarah Thomack
St. Joseph Post

Next week, there will be an opportunity to learn more about how to be prepared for severe weather season.

Every year, Buchanan County Emergency Management and St. Joseph Emergency Management, along with the National Weather Service and the American Red Cross, put on a free weather spotter class.

The class will be held on Tuesday during Severe Weather Awareness Week which is March 4-8.

Buchanan County Emergency Management Director Bill Brinton said the week is a good time to make sure your family has an emergency plan in place.

“Spring is right around the corner and we may have tornadoes and we may even now still have blizzards, but you have to have a plan and you have to be prepared,” Brinton said. “The American Red Cross has some excellent brochures about how to do a plan and how to make an emergency kit for your family and how to just make sure that you know what to do, how to set up your points of contact, where you’re going to be. It’s available by just stopping by their office.”

Another way to learn how to prepare for severe weather is through the weather spotter class. Brinton said everyone is encouraged to attend.

“We have our fire protection districts all come and are part of it, but we would like to have the average person come and just learn about how to not become a victim of a bad storm,” Brinton said.

A representative from the National Weather Service will present and there will be an opportunity after for a question and answer session.

The weather spotter class will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5, at the Historic Missouri Theater in St. Joseph. For more information, contact Buchanan County Emergency Management at (816) 271-1574.

Cold temperatures will again be the concern today with temperatures this morning starting in the teens and only rising into the 20s this afternoon. This will be nearly 25 degrees below normal. Accumulating snow is looking more likely as we get into the Saturday night to Sunday time period. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 25. North northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 16. Calm wind.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 39. Light and variable wind.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18. West northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 27. North northeast wind 8 to 10 mph.

Saturday Night: Snow, mainly after 7 p.m. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 11. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Sunday: Snow, mainly before 1 p.m. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 12. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around -5.

Monday: Sunny and cold, with a high near 12.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 1.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 20.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 9.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 33.

Freezing drizzle will continue through the morning commute making for hazardous travel particularly on secondary and untreated roads, bridges and overpasses. This will also make for other slippery surfaces as well so be sure to watch your footing. The drizzle will come to an end by 9 a.m. however temperatures will only rise into the 20s today so if it looks wet it is probably icy. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: A chance of flurries before 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 21. North wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 12. North wind 6 to 10 mph.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 26. North northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 14. Light and variable wind.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 37. Light and variable wind becoming south southeast around 6 mph in the morning.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18.

Saturday: A chance of snow before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 23. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday Night: A chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 8. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Sunday: A chance of snow before noon. Mostly cloudy and cold, with a high near 14. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 0.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 18.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 5.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 24.