On Feb. 18, the midwest was pounded with a record-breaking winter storm. In the Kansas and Missouri region, snowfall ranged from three to 11 inches with a final count of seven inches in Kansas City alone. The total snowfall broke a record set in 1893 for the most snow on Feb. 17.
The heavy snow made it dangerous to commute both in the city and locally in Liberty. School districts, businesses and government buildings across the Midwest were closed due to dangerous road conditions. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported 350 service calls, 208 stranded motorists, 80 accidents, and 8 injuries in the Kansas City area alone. At Jewell, classes across departments were held over zoom and some in person.
The snowstorm came on the heels of consecutive days with highs in the 60s. The warm weather and sharp drop off into the single digits created a weather anomaly along with the record snowfall. In parts of Kansas City, people experienced thundersnow, a snowstorm that contains lightning and thunder within it. Thundersnow happens when cold air moves on top of the warmer air and only happens about six times a year across the globe.
The snow has been a part of a tumultuous month of weather. The weather in Kansas City and Liberty has ranged from five degrees to 75 degrees. As Spring Break approaches, the hope is that the snowy weather is past us for the rest of the year.