Travel Archives - Missourinet

Winter weather has been deadly in Missouri; I-70 in Concordia has reopened

February 15, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

UPDATE: The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says westbound I-70 at Concordia has re-opened, after being closed for more than five hours.

BRIAN’S ORIGINAL STORY IS BELOW:

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield is warning travelers that Friday evening’s commute will be difficult across the Ozarks, because roads have deteriorated from snow and ice.

The National Weather Service in Springfield is urging motorists to finish their travel as soon as possible (map courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter)

NWS meteorologist Mike Albano in Springfield says Branson, Monett, Neosho and West Plains are seeing ice. Some of those areas have seen almost two-tenths of an inch of ice already.

“For people traveling along and south of the U.S. 60 corridor, we’d suggest avoid any unnecessary travel,” Albano says. “Between a tenth and two-tenths of an inch of ice certainly has its problems that it could cause out there on the roadways,” Albano says.

Snow, sleet and freezing rain continue to fall across the Ozarks this afternoon, and the NWS is urging you to complete your travel as soon as possible.

“And this is a system that’s going to be around really through the evening commute, probably not pulling out of maybe the Branson, the Springfield metropolitan areas until maybe after 6 o’clock this evening,” Albano says.

The NWS says the Warsaw and Osage Beach areas could see up to three inches of snow, by Friday evening.

Numerous Missouri school districts either canceled classes today, or dismissed early. That meant some of school buses were taking children home during the snowstorm.

Meantime, the NWS in western Missouri’s Pleasant Hill, near Kansas City, says multi-vehicle crashes have caused closures on numerous highways and interstates in the Kansas City region, across the metro and beyond.

Here are some other big stories from today’s winter storm, across the state:

** Missouri state troopers in Lee’s Summit say one person has been killed in a 15-vehicle crash today on westbound I-70, near Oak Grove. Westbound I-70 at western Missouri’s Oak Grove remains closed because of the crashes.
** Snow-covered westbound I-70 in west-central Missouri’s Concordia remains closed. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) tells Missourinet at least six or seven tractor trailers crashed there, and one of them “tore open”, spilling items onto the highway.
** Snow-covered westbound Highway 54 near the Cole-Miller County line south of Jefferson City saw a pileup involving numerous vehicles today. One listener tells us about 40 vehicles were involved, while another listener says it involved hundreds of cars.

Winter weather advisories issued for much of Missouri; Kansas City expected to receive most snow (AUDIO)

February 14, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill has issued a winter weather advisory for Friday for large portions of of western, northwest and west-central Missouri. The NWS in Springfield has issued a winter weather advisory for all of the Ozarks, for Friday morning and afternoon.

The National Weather Service in Springfield has issued a winter weather advisory for all of the Ozarks (February 14, 2019 map courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter)

NWS meteorologist Chris Gitro expects a fast-moving storm and says the Kansas City metro will likely see the highest amount of snowfall Friday.

“We’re expecting accumulations on the order of four to six inches for the Kansas City metro and surrounding areas, and by late tomorrow (Friday) afternoon and into the early evening hours the system is expected to depart pretty quickly,” Gitro says.

Snow is expected to begin falling in Kansas City at about 9 Friday morning.

Meantime, the National Weather Service in Springfield has issued a winter weather advisory for all of the Ozarks, for Friday. Lebanon, Waynesville, Warsaw, Osage Beach and the Lake of the Ozarks are expected to receive three to four inches of snow.

The NWS says Springfield is projected to receive one to two inches of snow. Most of the snow will fall across the Ozarks Friday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Gitro in the NWS’ Pleasant Hill office tells Missourinet that Columbia, Jefferson City and Sedalia are expected to receive about three inches of snow.

“It’s definitely looking like they’re going to be under the gun for some accumulating snowfall tomorrow as well,” says Gitro.

Northwest Missouri’s Chillicothe and St. Joseph could also see four to six inches, while the St. Louis region is projected to receive two inches. The NWS in St. Louis is warning motorists that Friday evening commute hazards are likely in the St. Louis region.

A light glaze of ice is expected Friday in southeast Missouri towns like Farmington, Perryville and Sikeston.

The cold front is already in northwest Missouri. The NWS tweeted Thursday afternoon at 2:45 p.m. that it was 31 degrees in St. Joseph, while it was 57 degrees in Lee’s Summit, which is a Kansas City suburb.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and National Weather Service meteorologist Chris Gitro, which was recorded on February 14, 2019:

(AUDIO) North Missouri under winter weather advisory; Ellington urges Missourians to check on the elderly

February 11, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill and St. Louis have issued winter weather advisories for virtually all of northern Missouri, until midnight tonight (Monday).

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for much of northern Missouri on February 11, 2019 (map courtesy of NWS St. Louis Twitter page)

The NWS says St. Joseph, Chillicothe, Edina, Kirksville, Macon, Tarkio and Trenton are expected to receive a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow on Monday evening.

The NWS says the Edina area could receive about 0.11″ of ice. Most of the other towns are expected to see minor ice and snow accumulation.

State Rep. Brandon Ellington, D-Kansas City, tells Missourinet the recent ice storm and snow have been very difficult on elderly residents in his Kansas City district and across the state.

“With the power outages, with the streets being filled of ice and the sidewalks being filled with ice it’s hard for them to get out and go to the grocery store,” Ellington says.

The NWS is warning that parking lots and walkways will be slick across northern Missouri, because of the wintry mix. Ellington is urging you to check on your elderly neighbors and family members.

“Please look out, take some salt or something over there and check on them,” says Ellington. “Check to see if their electricity is out.”

State Rep. Brandon Ellington (D) briefs Capitol reporters on January 28, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Ellington tells Missourinet he learned today that a Kansas City resident in a nearby legislative district fell in the ice and broke her cheek.

“I was actually just talking to Representative (State Rep. Ingrid) Burnett and she was telling me about her neighbor that literally just fell and broke her jaw, broke her cheek, excuse me, broke her cheek,” Ellington says.

Representative Ellington spoke to Missourinet Monday afternoon at the Statehouse in Jefferson City, after the House Democrats held a press conference on criminal justice reform.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and State Rep. Brandon Ellington, D-Kansas City, which was recorded on February 11, 2019 at the Statehouse in Jefferson City:

Multiple winter weather advisories issued for Missouri; snow and freezing rain expected

February 9, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

All three National Weather Service (NWS) offices in Missouri have issued winter weather advisories, with snow and freezing rain on the way.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield has issued a winter weather advisory (map courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter page)

The winter weather advisories begin at midnight Sunday (tomorrow) and run through Sunday at noon.

The NWS in Pleasant Hill has issued a winter weather advisory for much of western, central and northern Missouri. The NWS says a wintry mix is expected to begin late tonight in Kansas City and St. Joseph. The northern Missouri towns of Chillicothe, Trenton and Bethany are expected to receive one to three inches of snowfall by noon Sunday, while the west-central Missouri communities of Marshall and Sedalia could see up to two inches of snow.

Northern Missouri has been slammed this winter with several large snowstorms, along with freezing temperatures. News director Tom Tingerthal at Missourinet Chillicothe affiliate KCHI (AM 1010) tells us roads are currently in good shape overall in the “Home of Sliced Bread,” but notes there are still some icy spots there.

Meantime, the National Weather Service in Springfield has issued a winter weather advisory for most of the Ozarks. The NWS in Springfield says a wintry mix is expected to begin after midnight and will start as snow/sleet, before transitioning to light freezing rain.

The Branson and West Plains areas are expected to receive about 0.10″ of ice.

Slick roads are expected across the Ozarks, and the NWS expects about one inch of snow in most areas there.

The National Weather Service in St. Louis has also issued a winter weather advisory for much of eastern and northern Missouri. The NWS says the precipitation will begin as snow late tonight in cities such as Columbia, Jefferson City, Hannibal, Moberly and Warrenton.

Snow is expected to begin falling in Columbia and Jefferson City at about midnight, and the snow is expected to change to sleet and freezing rain Sunday morning. Light accumulations of snow, sleet and ice are expected.

The snow is expected to start in the St. Louis area at about 3 a.m. Sunday.

The Columbia, Sedalia, Clinton and Lake of the Ozarks areas are also expected to receive some ice.

Tune into Saturday morning to your local Missourinet affiliate for our hourly newscasts, with updated winter weather information.

National Weather Service: straight-line winds struck southwest Missouri

February 7, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

UPDATE ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON: The National Weather Service in Springfield says its survey teams have found that the damage from yesterday’s overnight storms in southwest Missouri’s Aurora and Monett were caused by straight-line winds, not tornadoes. NWS meteorologist Megan Terry tells Missourinet the storms caused barn and roof damage. The NWS in Springfield issued at least 11 tornado warnings during the storms.

ORIGINAL STORY FROM FEBRUARY 7, 2019 IS BELOW:

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield has survey teams in southwest Missouri’s Aurora and Monett Thursday afternoon, investigating possible overnight tornadoes. The NWS in Springfield issued at least 11 tornado warnings last night, into the early-morning hours.

The National Weather Service in Springfield issued at least 11 tornado warnings on February 6-7, 2019 (map courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter page)

NWS meteorologist Megan Terry says there is barn and roof damage in the Aurora and Monett areas, which are southwest of Springfield.

“We had a line of strong to severe thunderstorms move across our area and sometimes we can get little spinups on those,” Terry says.

She says there are also downed trees and power lines in and near Springfield, from the storms.

The NWS in Springfield is also warning that “black ice” is possible Thursday afternoon and evening across the Ozarks. Ms. Terry says it will get cold tonight throughout southwest Missouri.

“We expect temperatures to fall into the single digits and teens tonight, so if there’s any residual water on roads it could freeze,” says Terry.

Black ice is difficult to see and is more common on bridges and overpasses.

The NWS also says the flood watch for Springfield, Branson and West Plains has expired. Terry tells Missourinet that much of the Ozarks has seen big two-day rainfall totals.

“Over in the eastern Ozarks around Montauk State Park (near Salem) 2.88 inches, near Houston, Texas County, about 2.7 inches,” Terry says.

She says there has been flooding in low lying areas, especially near creeks and streams.

Meantime, the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill has issued a wind chill advisory for far northern Missouri, until Friday morning at 9.

The wind chill advisory will impact the entire Highway 36 corridor and everything north, including St. Joseph, Chillicothe, Macon, Kirksville and Hannibal.

The NWS says wind chill values in those communities will be as cold as -20 degrees.

The ice storm warning issued by the NWS in Pleasant Hill has expired. The ice storm warning area included a large section of northern and western Missouri, including Chillicothe, Kansas City and Sedalia.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (R) met with members of his emergency management team Wednesday night at the State Emergency Management Operations Center in Jefferson City. The governor is urging you to continue to pay close attention to your local forecast.

National Weather Service issues ice storm warning for large section of Missouri (AUDIO)

February 6, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill has issued an ice storm warning for a large section of western and northern Missouri, including Kansas City, Chillicothe, Sedalia and Bethany.

The National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill has a detailed map of the February 6, 2019 ice storm warning area (map courtesy of NWS Pleasant Hill Twitter)

The ice storm warning is in effect until noon Thursday.

The NWS has issued a winter weather advisory for a large section of Missouri, including Columbia, Jefferson City and Hannibal.

NWS meteorologist Ryan Cutter tells Missourinet there have been many reports of crashes across north Missouri, because of freezing drizzle and slick roads.

“Numerous accidents across Missouri especially as that freezing drizzle continues to fall, and is causing a slick glazing of ice on roadways,” says Cutter.

The NWS in St. Louis has also issued a winter weather advisory for four northeast Missouri counties, including the towns of Edina and Shelbyville. Motorists can expect hazardous travel there.

Cutter says the commute home Wednesday afternoon will be “slick and icy” in communities stretching from Columbia to Boonville to Kansas City to Kirksville.

“The temperatures where they’re going to stay, we’re going to be well enough below freezing and the continued misty stuff that’s falling from the sky is just going to continue to make things slick through the afternoon,” Cutter says.

Jefferson City and Columbia are expected to receive small amounts of ice accumulation through Thursday afternoon, but the amounts will be larger in northeast Missouri towns like Edina, which is expected to receive 0.18″.

Cutter also reminds you to be safe in stairwells, which could be ice-covered. The railings also could have ice on them.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Ryan Cutter, which was recorded earlier on February 6, 2019, before the ice storm warning was issued:

Missouri’s Blunt and Clay see federal government shutdown differently

January 25, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Key members in Missouri’s congressional delegation have different perspectives on the end of a 35-day federal government shutdown, and their perspectives are divided along party lines.

Congressman Lacy Clay (D-St. Louis)

President Donald Trump (R) announced Friday afternoon that a compromise deal had been reached to re-open the federal government, adding that furloughed federal employees would receive their back pay as soon as possible.

“I want to thank all of the incredible federal workers and their amazing families, who have shown such extraordinary devotion in the face of this recent hardship,” Trump said Friday in the Rose Garden.

The “Washington Post” reports the U.S. Senate and House approved the plan by voice vote, and both chambers then adjourned. The newspaper says the plan will impact about 800,000 federal employees who had missed two consecutive paychecks.

A Democratic congressman who represents a large portion of the St. Louis region on Capitol Hill is blaming President Trump for the shutdown.

“For 35 days, the President inflicted needless suffering, pain and real damage on federal employees and our nation for absolutely no good reason. The Trump shutdown was never about border security. It was about the President’s ego and his ridiculous campaign promise,” U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay (D) says in a statement. He represents St. Louis City and a large portion of St. Louis County.

Clay, who’s in his tenth term on Capitol Hill and is a senior member of the state’s delegation, also says that “real leaders don’t build walls, they build bridges.”

Congressman Clay had been calling on the president to open the government first, before negotiating about border security. About 100 laid-off and furloughed federal employees met Friday morning at Congressman Clay’s St. Louis office on Gravois.

Clay says more than 12,000 federal employees in Missouri were impacted by the federal government shutdown.

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R), sees it differently. Blunt, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, says it’s time for Democrats to come to the negotiating table.

“Shutdowns are bad politics and even worse government. Democrats say they’re for stronger border security. It’s time for them to get to the table. And then this process should be done through the normal structure. The president has a clear responsibility to secure the border and if Democrats cooperate we won’t end up in a place where this is done through declaring an emergency. That precedent could create real problems in the future on other issues,” Blunt says in a statement.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R), who was elected in November, tweeted Friday “After (the) President’s announcement, Democrats now have chance to demonstrate that they are truly serious about securing the border. Democrat members of Congress have said over and over that they support border security. Now it’s time to prove it.”

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, also tweeted Friday about the issue. “I’m pleased that the President has come to his senses and decided to reopen the government,” Cleaver tweeted.

Missouri traffic fatalities take a slight dip in 2018

January 25, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

For the third year in a row, more than 900 people were killed in Missouri traffic crashes in 2018. The figure of 918 traffic fatalities represents a slight decline from 932 in 2017.

Missouri traffic fatalities take a slight dip in 2018

Speed, distraction, impairment and fatigue continue to be the top causes of fatal crashes. According to Jon Nelson with the Missouri Transportation Department, cellphone related crashes have climbed 35 percent since 2014.

“It’s one of the fastest growing causes of fatal crashes in Missouri, and like most other contributing factors, it’s completely preventable,” says Nelson.

Pickup truck drivers have the lowest seat belt usage rate in the state.

“Eighty-seven percent of Missourians are buckling up. However, the few who aren’t account for more than 60 percent of our traffic fatalities,” says Nelson. “When it comes to cell phones, nobody wants to be on the road with a driver constantly using their phone, but so many people find it acceptable to do themselves. We can do better.”

Missouri is one of the only states without a statewide ban on texting while driving.

Missouri House honors former lawmaker who died from cancer in 2018 (AUDIO)

January 25, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Legislation designating a section of highway in St. Louis County as the “Cloria Brown Memorial Highway” has been given final approval this week by the Missouri House.

State Reps. Patricia Pike (center) and Jim Murphy (left) and Speaker Elijah Haahr (right) brief Capitol reporters on January 23, 2019 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Brown, who served three House terms, died last March after battling cancer. State Rep. Patricia Pike, R-Adrian, says Brown was an amazing lawmaker.

“She was a champion of women, (the) less fortunate, veterans, she was very passionate about the human trafficking issues of the state,” Pike says.

The House voted 150-0 this week to designate a section of heavily-traveled Lindbergh Boulevard from I-55 to Lin Ferry Drive as the Cloria Brown Memorial Highway. State Rep. Jim Murphy, R-St. Louis County, who replaced Brown, says district residents “fell in love” with Brown.

“As I went around in my campaign I would go to doors and they would invite me in and say Cloria would come here often and we’d have coffee,” says Murphy.

Under the two-sentence Pike-Murphy legislation, private donations would pay for the highway signs and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) would place them.

“This bill is very appropriate because her final resting place actually overlooks the road that we’re naming in her honor, and it’s just very, very appropriate,” Murphy says.

Brown’s House colleagues on both sides of the aisle praised Brown, after her death.

Brown represented a swing district in south St. Louis County, a district that includes Mehlville.

She faced Democrat Vicki Englund in five elections. Englund won in 2008 and in 2012. Brown won in 2010, 2014 and in 2016.

Cloria Brown graduated from McKinley High School in St. Louis and from Washington University, where she earned a B.A. in information systems.

Brown also served on the Lemay Child and Family Center Board of Directors.

Click here to listen to House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, and State Reps. Patricia Pike and Jim Murphy brief reporters on January 23, 2019:

Heaviest weekend snow hits portions of southeast Missouri, leaves much of state with less than predicted totals

January 21, 2019 By Jason Taylor

The predicted heavy snow for mid and northern Missouri never materialized over the weekend as the stronger part of the storm system developed in southeast Missouri.

Dan Spaeth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky, which tracks southeast Missouri said the area received 4-6 inches Saturday afternoon, although there was a pocket with larger totals.

“The main swath in Missouri for the highest amounts went from Carter and Wayne Counties up into Madison County where we did have some 7-9 inch isolated reports,” said Spaeth.

Wind gusts of 50-55 miles per hour were felt in Cape Girardeau.

A firetruck from Zell that was responding to a 15 vehicle pile up on I-55 became part of the incident (Image courtesy of Zell Volunteer Fire Department)

A 15-vehicle crash blocked a section of Interstate 55 Saturday in southeast Missouri. The Missouri Department of Transportation reported the interstate near Ste. Genevieve was blocked because of the crash, which included a firetruck from Zell that was responding to the incident. Motorists were urged to find an alternate route. There was no immediate word on injuries.

In eastern Missouri, St. Charles received about 2 inches of snow while Farmington had an estimated 1.4 inches. The city of St. Louis received 0.7 inches.

Meteorologist Spencer Mell with the National Weather Service in Kansas City said several factors contributed to the storm fizzling out in mid and north Missouri.

“The storm system itself wound up being further north,” said Mell. “The better energy for the whole storm system wound up being further south where they got the severe weather. And over our area, we wound up getting dried out with those strong winds that moved down into the area, so all three of those factors cut our snow totals.”

Narrow portions of far northern Missouri, including Harrison County and the town of Bethany, received about 4-6 inches of snow while Kirksville had roughly 3-4 inches. Some 2-3 inches of snow fell on other portions of north Missouri, including St. Joseph and Maryville while 1-2 inches fell in Chillicothe. Most of the rest of mid and southwest Missouri received a dusting of snow accumulations up to an inch in some spots.

Steve Lindenberg, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Springfield, said the Saturday storm began to pick up momentum in his area.

“It was just starting out to strengthen as it was moving through the Springfield area,” said Lindenberg. “And then as the day wore it strengthened quite a bit.”

Springfield received less than an inch while Branson to the south recorded an inch. As much as four inches fell in West Plains to the southeast of Springfield in southern Missouri. In a Facebook post, the City of West Plains asked drivers to avoid Highway 63 where there was a 15-car accident near Thayer.

Slick conditions also led to a semi crash on I-44 that closed down westbound traffic through Springfield for approximately four miles Saturday afternoon.

As of 8:00 a.m. Sunday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol had responded to 1,784 calls for service, 660 stranded motorists and 304 crashes which resulted in 45 injuries, 4 fatalities—2 believed to have been weather-related.

Mell with the National Weather Service in Kansas City says more snow is headed to the state in the upcoming days and next weekend in what is called “clipper storms”. “We’ll see these weak disturbances work through the area that could produce light amounts of snow, a few shots of it through the weekend,” Mell said.
Clipper storms that occur across and the plains and midwest states typically bring light snow, strong winds, and colder temperatures.