Power Outage in Belton, MO

Light to moderate freezing rain formed early morning on New Year's Day. This freezing rain quickly accreted between a quarter to half inch before sunrise. Shortly after sunrise the freezing rain switched to light snow, which persisted for the bulk of the remaining day time hours. The snow did not accumulate more than 1 to 3 inches, but on top of the ice accretion created winter storm conditions. Mostly scattered power outages and vehicle accidents were the impacts, but being a holiday, road traffic was likely light.

Through the day on February 20, 2018 numerous accidents occurred as a result of widespread accumulating ice. Patchy freezing drizzle started as early as midnight on the morning of February 20, but the heavier rain fell through the morning and early afternoon hours. Numerous powerlines and trees sustained some damage from the accumulation of 1/8 to 1/3 inch of ice across a widespread area, including the Kansas City metro area.

After a round of thunderstorms winds picked up in a possible wake low situation. There were multiple reports of tree limbs snapped and power lines down across the city and some damage to the windows of a drug store in town. The NWS office in Pleasant Hill reported winds of 50 to 60 mph. The lack of convection at the time of the reports gives credence to this event not being part of the thunderstorms themselves, rather as part of a wake low as they departed.

A dry line punched through the area on the afternoon of November 11, bringing 50 to 60 mph synoptic straight line winds. Local ASOS observations reported gusts near 60 mph across the area, but the winds also damaged, trees, power lines, and a few outbuildings. This dry line also created some thunderstorm activity, which caused some isolated convective wind damage.

Trained weather spotters from across the area reported between .20 and .50 of freezing rain on December 21. The highest amount of ice accumulation in the area came out of Clinton, Missouri, where .45 of ice accumulated. Once the freezing rain ended light snow accumulated throughout the area during the overnight hours. Between 1 and 3 inches of snow fell on top of the ice accumulation. Some power outages occurred, but no widespread effects were reported from this ice storm.

Also minor wind damage to poles and power lines.

On the evening of August 16 a few thunderstorms formed in western Missouri, and caused some powerline damage in Garden City, Missouri, in Cass County. Several large trees, around 12 inches in diameter, were broken in Leeton, Missouri, in Johnson County.