Here’s the latest timing on snowfall in the metro-east and Arctic blast chaser
The season’s first measurable snowfall is expected to begin in the metro-east about 3 a.m. to 4 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
A heavy band of snow is then expected around 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. Saturday.
Overall, the metro-east has a good chance to get 2 to 4 inches of snow so travel on Saturday morning could be hazardous. Snow may not stick on roadways because the ground temperatures have not dropped much yet, a weather service meteorologist said.
After snow turns to rain during the day on Saturday, an Arctic blast will roll in late Saturday or early Sunday, said Matt Beitscher, who is the lead meteorologist for the National Weather Service in St. Louis.
The high temperature on Sunday is forecasted to be 30 and the low on Monday morning is expected to drop to 18.
With the drop in temperatures, metro-east drivers should be alert for slick spots on bridges and overpasses, Beitscher said.
A winter weather advisory is in effect from midnight Friday to midnight Saturday.
“It’s not going to be a significant winter storm, at least for metro-east, but it will be impactful to folks that are trying to get out and about especially Saturday morning,” Beitscher said.
So will Saturday’s snow stick around for a while?
“I wouldn’t bank on all of it going away but because it’s such a wet snow in the first place, it very well could,” Beitscher said.
If you are traveling north, look for higher snowfall amounts.
Litchfield could get 4 to 8 inches; Springfield could see 5 to 10 inches and Champaign 7 to 11 inches. These areas are under a winter weather warning.
Areas south of the metro-east such as Marion may get a trace to 1 inch of snow.
And after the snow, rain and Arctic blast over the weekend, you may see some snow again on Monday night that could affect the Tuesday morning commute.
The St. Louis record for snowfall on Nov. 29 is 1.7 inches, which was set in 1964. The snowiest day ever in November was on Nov. 26, 1975, when 7.6 inches of snow fell. The snowfall amounts used in official records are measured at St. Louis Lambert International Airport.
