Always Looking Up – Opinion

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist When it comes to forecasting warm season showers and thunderstorms, meteorologists must consider several factors in order to best answer a number of key questions: What are the chances of showers and storms? When will they start and stop? Will rain be light or heavy? Is there a threat

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist Drought conditions across Northwest Missouri have been steadily declining over the past few months. As of this week, the year-long drought brought on by persisting rainfall deficits officially has been busted locally, with every square mile of land north of the Missouri River back to baseline in terms of

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist After years of widespread drought and low water levels across large swaths of the Missouri River basin, the longest waterway in the U.S. is once again flowing in abundance. This is especially true for the lower Missouri River Basin, where recent rains have pushed some water to flood stage.

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist The first half of April was relatively quiet when it came to severe weather across the mid-Missouri River Valley. The first two weeks of the month featured no reports of damaging winds or tornadoes, and only one isolated report of sizable hail throughout all of Northwest Missouri. The second

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist Sporadic rainfall deficits have spurred ongoing periods of drought across Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas for the past several years. According to the U.S. drought monitor, most of the Show Me state north of the Missouri River was under abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions to start the year.

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist The last total solar eclipse to traverse the U.S. did so nearly seven years ago, crossing the continent from northwest to southeast in August of 2017. That day, the path of totality passed directly over St. Joseph and Northwest Missouri, the moon completely blocking the sun’s rays for a

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist For much of the Midwest and Great Plains, it may have felt like this year’s spring season began in February. Mild temperatures almost became the new normal last month here in Northwest Missouri, as daily highs averaged out to approximately 59 degrees. Not surprisingly, snowfall was also in short

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist The last severe thunderstorm to impact Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas took place last September, and as spring 2024 progresses, it’s only a matter of time before the next bout of severe weather strikes. Ahead of the pending spring and summer storm season, local branches of the National Weather

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist One of the biggest hallmarks of the heartland’s climate is the wide range in temperatures felt from season to season. Being centrally located within the continental United States, the American Midwest and Great Plains are situated hundreds of miles from the moderating effects of Earth’s oceans, a recipe that

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist On the second day of this month, a famous Pennsylvania Groundhog predicted an early start to the spring season. Despite a few exceptions over the past several weeks, it seems this was right on the money for many across the country, especially here in the Central Plains. Long stretches

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist Blasts of bitter cold and several hits of accumulating snow made for a wintry January across Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas. As the second half of winter rolls on, it’s becoming more evident that last month’s weather was an outlier among a cold season that’s otherwise featured above-average temperatures

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist Ever-present and ever-changing, weather serves as a backdrop for daily life, especially life that happens outdoors. Depending on the scenario, the weather can be a subtle tone-setter or end up taking center stage. This is a well-known fact in the world of outdoor sports, forcing players to deal with

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist A mid-winter thaw is in full force this week across two-thirds of the continental United States, as an unseasonably warm air mass has expanded across parts of the Intermountain West, Great Plains and Midwest. Afternoon temperatures have reached the 50s and 60s since Monday here in St. Joseph, well

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist After 10 days of subfreezing temperatures and several rounds of accumulating snowfall, the wintry landscape across Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas has entered a melting phase over the past several days. While the idea of warmer temperatures and shrinking snowpack is enticing for most, the transition has been a

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist Wintry weather has recently dominated conditions across the Midwest and Great Plains, with strong pushes of arctic air bringing subzero temperatures and supporting bouts of accumulating snowfall. Over the past week and a half, residents of Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas have endured lengthy periods of single-digit to subzero

By Jared Shelton This week is proving to be a turning point for Central Plains weather, as Old Man Winter sweeps across the northern half of the U.S. with a vengeance. Snow has been the biggest indicator of change across Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas, with a winter storm blanketing the landscape with four to

By Jared Shelton News-Press NOW meteorologist The 2023-24 cold season has been a stale one for winter lovers across the Midwest. Aside from a few brief spells of polar air, temperatures here in the Central Plains generally trended above average through the final three months of last year, while precipitation remained below average. Given the