Forecast update: Here’s how much snow you should expect in the metro-east

The National Weather Service office in St. Louis updated its forecasts Friday for a major winter storm expected to hit the region this weekend.

More than 170 million Americans from New Mexico to the Northeast are bracing for the storm, which forecasters say will extend more than 2,000 miles and bring heavy snow alongside a mix of ice, snow and sleet.

The St. Louis and metro-east area should prepare for extreme cold, dangerous wind chills and as much as one foot of snow in two waves, according to the National Weather Service.

Snowfall Forecasts and Warnings

Total snow accumulation will vary by location, with forecasters predicting lower amounts north and east of the metro area. However, the entire seven-county metro-east region remains under a winter storm warning as of Friday, according to the weather service.

There is a 90 percent chance that the metro-east will receive at least four inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service. A six-inch snowfall is about 75 percent likely, and the chance of eight inches is 55 percent. There is a 20 percent probability that the area will see one foot of snow.

Belleville is expected to receive between five and 11 inches, according to the NWS. Regions south and west — including most of Monroe, Randolph and Clinton counties — are forecast to get between seven and 12 inches of snow.

Areas north, including Madison County, remain in a five- to 11-inch “lower-confidence” zone, the weather service reported.

Timing and Local Impacts

According to the most recent forecast Friday, precipitation is expected to arrive in two waves beginning Saturday.. The weather service says light snow will begin in Belleville and surrounding areas by late Saturday morning, with up to three inches possible in the afternoon.

A second wave is forecast to arrive overnight, with an additional three to five inches possible, followed by another two to four inches Sunday morning before snow tapers off in the afternoon.

There is a 20 percent chance of further light accumulation Sunday evening.

The National Weather Service warns of hazardous road conditions, possible school and business closures, and potential delays at local airports due to worsening visibility and accumulating snow.

Cold and Wind

Temperatures across the metro-east will remain well below freezing, with highs not expected to rise above 16 degrees until Tuesday, according to the weather service.

The overnight low Friday will be around four degrees, with winds of 11 to 14 mph resulting in wind chills of minus 10 degrees.

Saturday’s high will be near 12 degrees, with northwesterly winds around 10 mph continuing to produce dangerous wind chills. Temperatures will remain frigid through Sunday, then fall to around zero degrees Sunday night.

Tuesday’s temperature rebounds slightly with a high near 32 degrees.

This story was originally published January 23, 2026 at 10:08 AM.