Tomorrow is forecast to be Much Cooler than today.
Forecast for Benton
Updated: 4:08 PM CST on December 24, 2009
Winter Storm Warning in effect until 6 PM CST Friday...
Late This Afternoon
Breezy. Periods of rain showers...rain and sleet. No sleet accumulation. Temperature falling to around 40. North winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.
Tonight
Very windy. Much colder. Periods of rain and freezing rain in the evening. Periods of snow. Areas of blowing and drifting snow with visibility one quarter mile or less at times after midnight. Snow accumulation of 3 to 4 inches. No ice accumulation. Lows around 17. North winds 20 to 30 mph in the evening shifting to the northwest 25 to 30 mph after midnight. Gusts up to 45 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.
Christmas Day
Very windy. Much colder. Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow. Highs in the lower 20s. West winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts to around 45 mph.
Friday Night
Windy. Cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow. Lows around 15. Southwest winds 20 to 30 mph.
Saturday
Blustery. Mostly cloudy. Highs in the upper 20s. West winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph.
... Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until 6 PM CST Friday...
A Winter Storm Warning for mixed winter precipitation of sleet and freezing rain transitioning to heavy snow and strong northwest winds remains in effect until 6 PM CST Friday.
* Timing and areas affected... precipitation is transitioning to snow along and west of Missouri Highway 71 north of Interstate 44. The transition to mixed winter precipitation and then to snow will occur later this evening along the Highway 65 corridor by 9 to 11 PM. Until then... light to moderate rain will continue.
* Snow accumulation... a snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches is expected mainly along and west of a line from Table Rock Lake... to Springfield... to Lake of The Ozarks.
* Winds and visibility... northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph are expected behind the cold front with gusts of 40 to 45 mph. These strong winds will most likely produce blowing and drifting snow with visibilities reduced to near one quarter of a mile at times.
* Impacts... travel conditions during Christmas eve and Christmas day will be significantly impacted... including highways 71... 13... 60 and 65... and Interstate 44. Near blizzard conditions are expected with high winds and blowing and drifting snow anticipated tonight. Travel conditions will rapidly deteriorate this evening.
Precautionary/preparedness actions...
A Winter Storm Warning for heavy snow means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. Significant amounts of snow are forecast that will make travel dangerous. Only travel in an emergency. If you must travel... consider taking a winter storm kit along with you. This kit should include such items as tire chains... booster cables... a flashlight... shovel... blankets... extra clothing and anything else that would help you survive in case you become stranded..
Record Report
Statement as of 12:27 am CST on December 24, 2009
... Record daily maximum rainfall set at Joplin MO...
a record rainfall of 0.81 inches was set at Joplin MO yesterday. This breaks the old record of 0.5 set in 1979.
Public Information Statement
Statement as of 4:33 PM CST on December 24, 2009
... WSR-88D ksgf z-r relationship changed...
With the anticipated winter storm... the z-r relationships to the ksgf WSR-88D radar have been changed to winter type stratiform.