ST. LOUIS – While many across the St. Louis area are preparing for snow accumulations this weekend of up to five inches, the National Weather Service (NWS) in St. Louis is slow to make any such predictions.
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Meteorologist Patrick Walsh said the NWS is looking at several models of the Southern low pressure system en route to the Riverbend area for this weekend. He said the system should move into the area sometime Friday afternoon, starting as a mix of rain and snow. He said temperatures will hover around the freezing temperature all day Friday, dipping into the 20s overnight into Saturday. With temperatures that low, any precipitation is likely to be snow.
But how much snow will there be? Local weather models show 2-5 inches, but Walsh said he was not able to predict any amounts at this time.
“It is still three and a half days out,” he said. “We are looking at a couple inches, maybe more, but we're not good with time or amounts at this time, so I'm not comfortable with an exact number.”
Walsh said different weather models are predicting different outcomes at this time. He said it is based on timing and temperatures, adding a difference of a mere 30 miles will result in massively different accumulations than are currently predicted. He agreed there is a chance of up to five inches in the area, but said it was too early to say that for sure.
While amounts and areas affected are still (literally) up in the air, Walsh said he was confident the system would result in winter weather – not just rain. He said overnight temperatures from Friday into Saturday would ensure snow would be part of the system.
More details will be available as the weekend draws closer.
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