Warm Weekend Ahead

Tonight should be mostly fair and mild with south winds returning along with increasing dew points. Not as cold as the last few nights.

Tomorrow should be warm and mostly sunny with breezy conditions. Increasing clouds towards evening especially western sections of our area.

Tomorrow night will be milder with increasing moisture on south winds.

Sunday should be partly cloudy, windy and warm.

Sunday night into Monday morning will be breezy, mild with higher dewpoints ahead of the next storm system.

As the next storm system pulls out into the Plains on Monday, thunderstorms will develop with some possibly severe with heavy rainfall possible as well. The rain could last into Tuesday morning and if the GFS model is correct, our area could see several inches of rain before ending on Wednesday which would help the drought situation.

Be weather aware, gusting winds fire danger, severe weather possible

JOPLIN REGION — Be weather aware Sunday into Monday. The region is under ELEVATED FIRE RISK, recommending no outside burning.

In the southern edge of our coverage area in Benton County, Arkansas, they are under a burn ban for Sunday.

Images courtesy our friend, Chris Zumwalt, Midwest Emergency Photography.

Strong to severe storms will impact our area late this evening and may linger into Monday morning. Hail up to the size of ping pong balls and winds up to 60 mph are the primary threats, but an isolated tornado or two cannot be ruled out.” — NWS Springfield-Mo.

Meteorologist Doug Heady says that the storms won’t really amp up until 9-10p.m. Sunday night. Rain and Thunderstorms, barely any threat of tornadic activity.  But definitely watch for Tuesday afternoon when it will amp up again. Click below to see the latest on YOU TUBE. Be sure to subscribe and click that bell for alerts when he goes live.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD STATES: Gusty southerly winds will develop today ahead of low pressure moving into Kansas. Gusts of 30 to 45 mph will be possible with the strongest winds expected over southeast Kansas and western Missouri. Dry conditions combined with these gusty winds will lead to elevated fire weather conditions today.

A cold front will move southeast into the area this evening into tonight. This front will be the focus for thunderstorms at times with some severe storms possible with large hail to 1.5 inches in diameter, damaging winds to 60 mph and an isolated tornado being the main concerns.

Tips to prepare for severe weather season

JOPLIN, Mo. – Joplin Emergency Management Coordinator Keith Stammer wants residents to prepare for severe weather season.

According to Stammer, checking the weather every morning to monitor storm warnings and watches is key to safety.

When it comes to preparing a go-bag, Stammer said the following:

“If you’re going to make a kit, usual things that you’d think of it change clothes, maybe some water or some snacks, some medicines, a weather radio or some Typekit with some batteries separate from that a flashlight. The trick here is is to put that in a backpack or a kick kit and take it to your shelter.”

Be sure to subscribe to KOAM on Youtube for the latest on severe weather.

Severe Weather Preparedness Week, March 7 – 11; Monday reminder to bookmark pages and save apps

JOPLIN, Mo. – Every year in the spring it’s time to remind everyone about being weather ready as severe weather approaches.  This year March 7 – 11, each day this week we will touch on something to help you get prepared.

Monday it’s about PREPAREDNESS.  We want to remind you to set bookmarks and download apps.

  • Set a bookmark for our KOAM MAPS AND APPS that will update you on road conditions and where to look.  You will also find ELECTRIC OUTAGE LINKS there too.
  • Each banner below links to the respective state where you can download the app, or use the portal to access active maps on your phone or digital device.

Tuesday is Tornado Preparedness. Statewide there will be a tornado drill at 10:00 a.m. weather permitting.

The links below will help you find out what you can do now to prepare for a tornado. Preparation is key to staying safe and minimizing impacts.

  • Be Weather-Ready: Check the forecast regularly to see if you’re at risk for tornadoes. Listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay informed about tornado watches and warnings. Check the Weather-Ready Nation for tips.
  • Sign Up for Notifications: Know how your community sends warnings. Some communities have outdoor sirens. Others depend on media and smart phones to alert residents of severe storms capable of producing tornadoes.
  • Create a Communications Plan: Have a family plan that includes an emergency meeting place and related information. If you live in a mobile home or home without a basement, identify a nearby safe building you can get too quickly, such as a church or family member.
  • Pick a safe room in your home, such as a basement, storm cellar, or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows. Check more ideas for your family plan at: https://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan
  • Practice Your Plan: Conduct a family severe thunderstorm drill regularly so everyone knows what to do if a tornado is approaching. Make sure all members of your family know to go there when tornado warnings are issued. Don’t forget pets if time allows.
  • Prepare Your Home: Consider having your safe room reinforced. You can find plans for reinforcing an interior room to provide better protection on the Federal Emergency Management Agency website.
  • Help Your Neighbor: Encourage your loved ones to prepare for the possibility of tornadoes. Take CPR training so you can help if someone is hurt.

 

On the road again with Joplin News First road conditions

👉🏽 CLICK FOR CANCELLATION LIST

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD — Round one of wintry precipitation will develop across eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas before expanding into far southwestern Missouri by late this morning. This shield of sleet, snow and freezing rain looks to spread northeastwards towards the Springfield metro area by lunchtime and continue into the evening hours.

11:05 a.m. NO INJURIES AS CAR LEAVES ICY ROAD AND LANDS IN JOPLIN CREEK.

JOPLIN REGION — Road conditions will get worse late Wednesday morning. Beginning around noon conditions will deteriorate south of I-44. The worst areas to suffer will be southeast of Joplin.

A Winter Storm Warning continues for areas along and southeast of the I-44 corridor, with a Winter Weather Advisory further northwest.

A mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain is expected across extreme Southeast Kansas and the Missouri Ozarks now through Thursday. This pending episode of winter weather is likely to come in two waves. The first wave will begin late Wednesday morning and continue into this evening.

The second round of wintry precipitation will occur on Thursday. Some pockets of light mixed precipitation remain possible between the two rounds.

Ice amounts of a trace up to half an inch are possible, primarily along and southeast of I-44. Snow and sleet accumulations of a trace up to two inches are also expected, with the higher accumulations along and north of the I-44 corridor.

With wintry precipitation accumulations, slick road conditions are likely to develop leading to travel impacts across the area.

EARLIER SCHOOL CLOSINGS:

JOPLIN, Mo. — “Due to the deteriorating weather conditions, classes are canceled for Wednesday, February 23rd. This will be our 3rd AMI day and will not be made up.” — JOPLIN SCHOOLS

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Tigers in Carthage We will not have school today. Superintendent Mark Baker states online after a 4;15 a.m. call with National Weather Service Meteorologists, “Yes, the decision is based on a forecast provided by the National Weather Service. The amount of snow is not too concerning (less than two inches expected). However, the meteorologists have high confidence freezing rain and sleet will occur late this morning extending into the afternoon drive home. The air and road temperatures will be below freezing when the precipitation begins; thus, the potential for hazardous road conditions is high. Our last school day is Tuesday, May 24.”

WEBB CITY, Mo. — In a message sent to Cardinal Parents, “After an early morning phone call with the National Weather Service and based on their prediction of ice heading our direction, there will be no school today, 2/23/22. This will be an AMI day.”

NEOSHO, Mo. — “This morning’s call with the National Weather Service has a high level of confidence in icy weather conditions around noon. This forecast, coupled with low wind chills, is causing us to cancel today, February 23, 2022.” Neosho emphasizes this is a cancellation, not a virtual day.

 

Disaster preparedness the focus of discussion at Joplin event

JOPLIN, Mo. (KODE) – Officials with Ozark Center and Show-Me Hope put the focus on emergency preparedness tonight in Joplin.

“Ready in Three” is a training course involving a three-step program.

It recommends having a plan of action for you and your family, as well as an emergency kit consisting of sturdy shoes, a hard hat, silver blanket and personal hygiene items.

Folks are also urged to have a battery powered radio so they can listen for important information.
Training instructors say preparing now can help reduce stress before, during and after an emergency.

“What we find is that being prepared brings peace of mind. If you’re prepared for any disaster — it can be a flood, a tornado, it can be a fire, an ice storm, power outage, it can be a terrorist event or a mass shooting — It doesn’t necessarily have to be a (natural) disaster. So, we just say emergency preparedness brings peace of mind,” says Debbie Fitzgerald, Director of Crisis Services at Ozark Center.

Fitzgerald says it’s also important for families to conduct periodic emergency drills with their children at home.

Severe weather forecast prompts KU to call off commencements

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – Hundreds of University of Kansas graduates had to make do without commencement ceremonies on Sunday, due to the threat of severe weather.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the university called off all three ceremonies for the class of 2021 amid worries about lightning. It marked the second straight year the university had to call off commencement. The 2020 ceremonies were postponed after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

The class of 2020 is scheduled to celebrate its commencement next Sunday.

Class of 2021 KU graduates still made the most of the day. Students and their families congregated on the Hill for photos, and graduates took turns walking through the Campanile.

"Malfunction" during the MO/KS Statewide Tornado Drill

FOUR STATE REGION (KSNF/KODE) — Some sort of issue happened during the Kansas/Missouri Statewide Tornado Drill Tuesday.

The National Weather Service in St. Louis calls the issue a “malfunction” between the Weather Emergency Alert System and the NWS.

Meanwhile, NWS Kansas City says the word “TEST” was supposed to be on the alert. They are looking into the cause.

Concerning the recent tornado drill. The National Weather Service issued a properly coded TEST tornado warning. Somewhere in the Wireless Emergency Alert System chain, the message was misinterpreted as an actual warning and sent it out that way. We are looking into the cause

NWS Kansas City Twitter

Either way, many NWS offices across both states were quick to jump on social media and remind everyone today was just a test and only a test.

Extreme temperatures affect MoDOT fleet

JOPLIN, Mo. – MoDOT says crews have been working around the clock to clear road ways, working 12-hour shifts to keep up with the storm system moving through the area over the last 24-36 hours.

Darin Hamelink, MoDOT Southwest District Maintenance Engineer, says that the Southwest District has about 280 trucks in its fleet to help with road conditions, but the extreme cold temperatures have caused a few issues with some of their trucks.

“The extreme cold has hampered us in some ways. We have about ten percent of our fleet down, just due to mechanical issues,” Hamelink says, “When you have these temperatures, it’s just really hard on this equipment. Hydraulics and everything wanting to gel up on you. Ten percent of our fleet being down is not much out of the ordinary, other than it’s being caused by the extreme cold. We have had some issues with fuel gelling up on us.”

In addition to that, MoDOT wants to remind people to slow down and give their trucks space on the roadways while they try to clear snow.

“We did have an incident earlier this morning where a semi sideswiped one of our snow trucks over there near Joplin,” Hamelink adds, “I think part of it was…kind of a white-out condition while you’re plowing. It stirs up all that snow and makes visibility very difficult. On top of speed, visibility was also an issue. Hopefully people are…slowing down and giving us a little more room to work.”