photo by: Walt Clogston

Downtown Lawrence as snow falls Saturday morning, Nov. 30, 2024.

Northeastern Kansas is expected to get a significant amount of ice and snow this weekend, with most areas predicted to get between 4 and 11 inches.

According to the National Weather Service in Topeka, Douglas County can expect anywhere from 6 to 12 inches of snow over the weekend, but before the snow even starts, about 0.1 to 0.25 inches of ice will accumulate from freezing rain, with southern Douglas County experiencing closer to half an inch of ice.

photo by: Screenshot

The expected snowfall and ice accumulation for Saturday, January 4 and Sunday, January 5, 2025 from the National Weather Service in Topeka.

As the Journal-World reported, the winter storm is expected to begin Saturday evening and continue into Sunday. In Lawrence, the forecast on Saturday includes a high of 28 degrees, with mostly cloudy skies and a chance of a wintry mix, meaning potential freezing rain and sleet. In the evening, temperatures will drop to 18 degrees, accompanied by a wintry mix. On Sunday, the high will reach 23 degrees, with the wintry mix turning into snow. The evening will see a low of 2 degrees, with a slight chance of snow later that night.

The snow and ice accumulation will create hazardous travel conditions and the Weather Service suggests altering travel plans to avoid the winter weather.

A bitterly cold air mass is expected to move into the region early next week. Dangerous wind chills as low as minus 15 degrees are expected on Monday through the middle of the week. With wind chills in the minus 15 range, frostbite can occur in just 15 minutes.