Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS
01/07/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/07/2025 10:33
Winter Weather Update: Crews Plowing Neighborhoods
Winter Weather Update: Crews Plowing Neighborhoods
Published on January 07, 2025
An intense Arctic airmass continues to dominate the region, keeping temperatures dangerously cold and wind chills ranging from -5°F to -15°F. These conditions are expected to persist through Thursday morning before gradually improving late in the week. A slight temperature rebound is anticipated, with highs approaching freezing by Friday. While some snow flurries are possible early Friday morning, significant accumulation is expected to remain south of our area.
The Snow Crew is fully deployed and actively plowing Neighborhood Routes as part of ongoing efforts to ensure safe and passable roadways. With no new snowfall from this system, efforts are focused on clearing these lower-priority routes after completing work on Hot and Secondary Routes earlier in the week.
Clearing Neighborhood Routes typically takes up to 48 hours after plowing on Hot and Secondary Routes is complete, depending on conditions. KCK has 131 Neighborhood Routes. During major storms or persistent cold, snow may become packed on residential streets. While snowpack is not ideal, it can provide better traction in extreme cold than exposed ice, especially when road treatment materials like salt are less effective due to low temperatures.
"Our Snow Crew is working tirelessly in these extreme conditions to ensure roads are as safe as possible for our community," said Dewayne Smith, Public Works' Street Maintenance Manager. "We thank residents for their patience and understanding as we continue our work. Safety remains our top priority, and we ask everyone to give our crews space and time to do their jobs effectively."
Residents are reminded to:
- Avoid parking on streets, when possible, to allow plows to operate efficiently.
- Slow down and drive cautiously, as icy patches may persist in some areas.
- Shovel snow to the right side of your driveway (as you face the street) to reduce the chances of plows re-blocking access.
- Prevent children from playing in large snow drifts near the street.
Hazardous Weather Conditions
The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for Kansas City, Kansas, and surrounding areas. Wind chill values as low as -15°F are expected to persist through Thursday morning, creating dangerously cold conditions. Residents are urged to limit outdoor exposure and dress warmly if travel is necessary. More detailed weather information is available on the National Weather Service - Kansas City webpage.
Looking Ahead
A gradual warm-up is expected by late week, with temperatures approaching freezing. Early Friday morning flurries may develop, though our region does not expect significant snow accumulation. Please remember to slow down and give the Snow Crew plenty of room to work.
For more information on winter weather operations, answers to frequently asked questions, and details about Public Works' Snow & Ice Removal policy, visit wycokck.org/Snow. To report a service issue, dial 3-1-1.While the Snow Crew is hard at work, check out these frequently asked questions:
The Goal is to Return Traction to Streets
The purpose of winter weather operations isn't to clean and clear streets. The goal is to restore traction to streets so that motorists can be as safe as possible. Restoring traction to streets can be a tricky business, but there are generally four ways traction can be restored to streets during winter weather:
- Restoring traction by plowing
- Restoring traction by using salt
- Restoring traction by using sand
- Restoring traction by using a combination of plowing, salting, and sanding
When temperatures fall below 15-degrees Fahrenheit, the salt melts ice and snow more slowly. The colder it is outside, the longer it takes salt to do its work, which impacts winter weather operations. During some storms, traction can be restored by moving snow away from roads with plows, and in other storms, traction can be restored by using only a salt treatment. In other cases, plowing a street may reduce traction - especially in neighborhoods.
When snow becomes tightly packed, ice forms underneath. In these instances, drivers may not plow because removing the top layer of snowpack would leave a solid sheet of ice that salt treatment cannot melt quickly or efficiently. Although it seems counterintuitive, a small amount of snowpack can increase traction and keep motorists safer than they may otherwise be.
How Much Salt Melts 1 lb of Ice?
Salt is one of the many tools the Snow Crew uses to return traction to streets. Unfortunately, it becomes less effective the colder it is outside.
As temperatures decline below 15-degrees Fahrenheit, salt treatment works more slowly. The following chart illustrates how much ice one pound of salt can melt, depending on the temperature:
When temperatures are extremely low, you may not see much melting, but that doesn't mean the salt isn't there. Remember to be patient and slow down if you're out.
Avoid Parking on the Street
Don't park in the street whenever possible. It is dangerous and difficult to plow streets congested with parked vehicles. Some streets may not be plowed if plows cannot safely maneuver them.
The most helpful thing residents can do to facilitate snow removal is to get their cars off the street and encourage others to do the same. Residents with no other option other than on-street parking should park as close to the curb as possible.
Help Keep Snow Out of Your Driveway
One of the most frequent concerns in the removal of snow from public streets is snow being pushed back into driveways during plowing operations. As plows travel along streets, the snow accumulated on the plow blade has no place to go but on the adjacent streets and in driveways. The more snow that has fallen, the greater the problem will be.
- Residents can reduce the likelihood of snow blocking their driveway by shoveling snow to the right while facing the street. Doing this will help snowplow drivers avoid carrying piles from the "upstream" side back across driveways.
- In addition, shoving or blowing snow/ice into streets may cause hazardous conditions to other drivers. Residents and property owners are encouraged to follow the directions above in both commercial and residential areas.
More Winter Weather Tips
For more tips, view or download Public Works' Helpful Tips for the Winter Season PDF.
Snow & Ice Removal Policy
Learn More About Snow Operations
Explore Street Maintenance
Explore Public Works
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