Ice: Worse Than Tornadoes?

Overview

The Midwest has long been associated with tornadoes due to its position in Tornado Alley and popular media like The Wizard of Oz. My hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, however, is barely affected by them. Though big cities are already at a lower risk for tornadoes, KC has not experienced a devastating tornado since the 1950s. What's more devastating—and more common—are ice storms.

Ambulance drives through Kansas City's worst ice storm, 2002

Causes of Ice Storms

Ice storms occur when there's a snap freeze after heavy rainfall. This causes trees, power lines, and roads to become cased in ice, in some cases up to three inches thick. The weight of this ice often topples entire trees or power lines, leading to costly damages and widespread power outages. Though ice storms most often occur in January and February, they can be just as devastating in November and March; it takes longer for the ice to thaw in the winter months, while remaining leaves on the trees in fall months lead to even more damage.

KC's Volatility

What makes Kansas City so volatile for ice storms is its average temperature. According to U.S. Climate Data, KC's average temperature hovers between 50°F and 30°F in fall months, while in winter months it hovers between 40°F and 20°F. Both of these averages are just above and below freezing, meaning a sudden jump or dip in temperature can lead to catastrophic ice. Another factor that makes Kansas City particularly vulnerable is its reliance on car travel. Frozen roads from ice storms can completely paralyze transportation, or cause deadly crashes if people attempt to brave the treacherous roads. And unlike more-northern Midwestern cities, KC does not have a strong system of plows and salt trucks to clear the roads quickly.

Downed tree from an ice storm in 2017

My Experience: 2017

In 2017, I got to experience one of Kansas City's devastating ice storms firsthand. Sometime around my birthday in mid-January, a thunderstorm rolled through KC one night and by morning, everything had completely froze. My family and I were completely shut-in; the inch of ice on the ground made walking around difficult, let alone driving. I remember my dad sprinkling two whole boxes worth of salt around the driveway in an attempt to make the ice melt faster. Though we didn't lose any trees from this storm, there was a day where we were completely without power. Some family friends even had their pipes freeze and burst. After about 3 or 4 days, the temperature rose above freezing and the inch of ice finally melted.

Sources

• https://www.weather.gov/safety/winter-ice-frost 
• https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/kansas-city/missouri/united-states/usmo0460
• https://fox4kc.com/news/pictures-10-year-anniversary-of-epic-ice-storm/