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Missouri Congressman Smith to tour tornado-damaged Malden on Thursday

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A congressman who represents southeast Missouri will be in the Bootheel Thursday, touring areas of Malden damaged by Saturday’s tornado.

Missouri Governor Eric Greitens (right) tours tornado-damaged Malden with Malden Police on Febrary 26, 2018 (photo courtesy of Gov. Greitens’ office)

Cape Girardeau television station KFVS reports the tornado damaged 66 homes and injured four in Malden, which is in Dunklin County.

KFVS reports 40 of the homes sustained major damage, and that 11 families were displaced without a home.

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, is scheduled to tour the tornado damage Thursday. Smith will also meet with Malden Mayor Denton Kooyman and area first responders.

KFVS reports it was an EF2 tornado, with wind speeds of about 115 miles per hour.

Damage is estimated at about $2 million.

Governor Eric Greitens (R) traveled to Malden on Monday to visit with impacted residents. Greitens also met with Malden Police, and thanked first responders and linemen who were working to restore power.

“This (Malden) is a resilient community,” Greitens said Monday. “In the face of serious danger and damage, the faith, strength, and spirit of the community is unbroken.”

Greitens also notes a nursing home in nearby Matthews was impacted by the tornado. Greitens visited the Matthews nursing home, which is in New Madrid County.

Congressman Smith represents 30 southern Missouri counties.

MoDOT advises Missourians to stay home Friday night and Saturday, if possible

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With winter weather heading to the Show-Me State Friday night and Saturday, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is urging you to use caution and to drive for conditions if you must travel this weekend.

A Missouri Department of Transportation snow plow (2018 photo courtesy of MoDOT)

MoDOT spokeswoman Sally Oxenhandler says crews will be out tonight (Friday) and Saturday monitoring road conditions.

“We have been treating in advance of the storm and we will stay out until the storm leaves the area and we get roads back to near normal conditions,” Oxenhandler says.

Oxenhandler warns drivers to be aware of possible unexpected weather changes and road conditions.

“We just advise folks if they can stay home, we know that’s not always possible,” says Oxenhandler. “So if they do have to travel, we always encourage them to allow extra time for their travels, plan ahead.”

MoDOT notes snow accumulations of one to four inches are expected in northern Missouri, with possible ice and freezing rain in parts of southern Missouri.

The agency encourages you to check the department website or to call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT for updated road conditions.

That phone number is answered 24-7.

The National Weather Service office in St. Louis says patchy freezing drizzle is possible Friday night in the Columbia and Jefferson City areas. They also expect freezing drizzle in mid-Missouri on Saturday, along with a chance of snow into Sunday morning.

The National Weather Service in St. Louis also says light freezing rain is possible Saturday in the St. Louis region, with a chance of light snow on Sunday morning.

The ice chances increase in southeast Missouri communities like Farmington, which could receive .10 to .15″ of ice.

Why did forecasters not see Sunday treacherous weather coming before overstating Tuesday snow?

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There was very little warning from meteorologists prior to Sunday’s snow and ice that led to 650 road crashes and massive pileups on Interstate-44 in Missouri.

A Missouri Department of Transportation snow plow (2018 photo courtesy of MoDOT)

Then forecasts for one-to-three inches of snow Tuesday never materialized except in the northern part of the state.

Meteorologist Jenni Laflin with the National Weather Service in Kansas City says Sunday’s discrepancy is the result of winter weather being tougher to gauge.

“Your thinking a hundredth of an inch of precipitation, say a tenth-to-two-tenths of an inch of snow,” said Laflin.  “Say that doubles, and you end with a lot more where you could start seeing accidents.  So, it’s just kind of the nature of the beast.  The winter forecasting  is pretty difficult.  And small change in the track, or a small change in temperature can equal a big change in the how much snow you get.”

The Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to more than 100 calls of accidents in the Kansas City area Sunday.  Five traffic related deaths were reported across the state.  And there were numerous chain reaction crashes on Interstate-44 between Springfield and Rolla, including a massive pileup of between 50-and-100 vehicles and semi trucks in Marshfield that claimed a life.

Meteorologist Mike Griffin with the National Weather Service in Springfield says Sunday’s problem was the result of crashing temperatures over a short period of time.

“It went from the mid-30’s to the upper-teens in a matter of a couple of hours, said Griffin.  “And that caused the wet roadways to do a flash freeze.  It literally went from just being wet because it was melting, to freezing over in a matter of minutes.  That’s the problem that people didn’t realize was going to happen to the roads.”

An unusual phenomenon may have contributed to confusion over how much snow was predicted for Tuesday.  Meteorologist Laflin says the National Weather Service in Kansas City received a flood of inquiries over a February 4th, 2014 forecast for six-to-eight inches of snow that may have recycled onto social media feeds.

“That’s been some of the negative feedback we’ve gotten too,” Laflin said.  “It’s just a misunderstanding of what the forecast actually was.  Timehop or one of those algorithms that brings things back up received comments.  And then all of a sudden, the nature of social media, it just went kind of wild.”

Timehop is an application for smartphones that collects old photos and posts from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Dropbox and distributes the past.

 

MoDOT warns about additional snow and ice that will impact Missouri on Tuesday (AUDIO)

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The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is urging you to slow down Tuesday, with additional snow and ice heading to the Show-Me State.

A Missouri Department of Transportation snow plow (2018 photo courtesy of MoDOT)

MoDOT spokesman Matt Hiebert tells Missourinet precipitation should begin falling in mid-Missouri Tuesday afternoon.

“What we’re (MoDOT) urging people to do is to drive for the conditions,” Hiebert says. “We want them to slow down and give themselves plenty of braking distance as well.”

MoDOT says snow is expected in northern Missouri today, with accumulations of one to three inches. Areas around and south of I-44 could receive freezing rain and ice.

“But it’s going to continue at least through midnight tonight,” says Hiebert. “Our crews will be all over the state working through the night treating and plowing roads.”

Hiebert also reminds you to stay back at least 100 feet behind snow plows that are spreading salt.

“That’s just for safety reasons and it gives the salt the ability to be spread properly,” Hiebert says.

Hiebert recommends that you check your local forecast and MoDOT’s traveler information map before driving to work on Wednesday morning.

MoDOT also has a toll-free number that’s answered 24-7. That number is 1-888-ASK-MODOT, which is 1-888-275-6636.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and MoDOT spokesman Matt Hiebert, which was recorded on February 6, 2018:

One of two people killed in massive pileups on I-44 in Missouri Sunday identified

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The Missouri Highway Patrol has released the name of one of two people killed in multi-vehicle crashes on Interstate 44 Sunday.  KOLR reports 63-year-old Deborah Anderson of Ballwin, Missouri died in a 12-car crash in Laclede County

The Highway Patrol responded to hundreds of accident calls, including another fatality pileup on I-44 involving dozens of vehicles.

50-100 vehicle accident on I-44 near Marshfield – Image courtesy of Conway Volunteer Fire Department

The person killed in that crash, which according to the Highway Patrol included 50-to-100 vehicles that slammed into each other, has not been identified yet..

Missourinet media partner KOLR-TV reports at least 20 people were transported to area hospitals from the accident on I-44 in Marshfield northeast of Springfield.  Those uninjured were taken to an area restaurant.

An eastbound portion of I-44 in the area was closed until 5 a.m. Monday.  The Conway Volunteer Fire Department posted an aerial drone video (click here) of the pileup on its Facebook page.

KOLR also reported snow and icy conditions contributed to several other accidents on the same highway.  The Highway Patrol confirmed one fatality in a 12-vehicle crash on I-44 near Lebanon yesterday, while 11 injuries were reported in a 30-vehicle pileup on I-44 near Rolla.

School buses were requested to transport people in need of assistance at the accidents.  At least one more wreck was reported on I-44 near Conway, where multiple people trapped in their vehicles.

Meanwhile, troopers say they responded to 201 calls for service and reported 141 crashes, 11 injuries and one fatality in Audrain county.

In four hours, Missouri Highway Patrol received more than 100 calls after crashes just in the Kansas City area Sunday.  The Patrol reported a death in Ray County west of Kansas City due to snow.

In an incident unrelated to weather, a trooper sustained a broken leg early Sunday after a alleged intoxicated driver plowed into the rear of the trooper’s vehicle during a traffic stop on Interstate 170.

Three to four inches of snow was recorded in portions of Missouri, including the Kansas City and Springfield areas.

When was the last time Missouri had a tornado in January?

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Photo courtesy National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service in Springfield has confirmed that an EF-1 tornado touched down last night near Hoberg in southwest Missouri. The twister caused minor damage to one home and destroyed a few outbuildings, an irrigation system, two ski boats, and trees. Storm assessors measured winds of up to 95 miles per hour from the storm. No injuries were reported.

Meteorologist and Hydrologist Megan Terry tells Missourinet it’s somewhat unique to have tornadoes swirling around in the Show-Me State this time of year. She says funnels during the winter months tend to be lower-level ones with ratings of EF-0 and EF-1.

The last time a tornado touched down in Missouri in January was in 2013. On January 29, several low-level twisters ripped through the area near west-central Missouri’s Nevada to the St. Louis region. Terry says the storm was part of a larger system from Mississippi to Kentucky.

Prior to 2013, a system in mid-Missouri’s Pulaski and Phelps Counties spawned an outbreak of mostly low-level twisters and one EF-3 tornado during the early morning hours of January 8, 2008. Terry says the storm, which included the assessment of about 35 tornado touchdowns, injured three people that night.

January tornado suspected in southwest Missouri

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Photo courtesy of Missouri State Highway Patrol

MOUNT VERNON, Mo. — The National Weather Service office in Springfield has deployed assessment teams today to survey storm damage from a possible tornado in southwest Missouri. On Sunday night, National Weather service radar indicated a tornado likely touched down briefly near Mount Vernon. The detection led to the issuance of a tornado warning for Lawrence County around 8:00 p.m.

A few buildings were reported down about two miles south of Mount Vernon. Destroyed trees were also reported. There were no reports of injuries.

Troopers with the Missouri Highway Patrol tweet pictures from the scene. Elsewhere, strong thunderstorm winds took down large tree limbs at a house near Grovespring in Wright County Sunday night.

Courtesy of Karen Libby with Missourinet television partner station KOLR-10 in Springfield.

Missouri skiers get into winter mode

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Photos courtesy of Snow Creek Ski Resort

Business is good for Snow Creek ski resort in Weston near Kansas City. Guest Services Specialist Darin Pond tells Missourinet the school and business closings this week have increased traffic at the slopes in Platte County.

“The parents are stuck home with kids that want to go skiing,” says Pond. “So, on those days that the schools close, they actually come skiing. We’ve had a lot of smiling faces and a lot of people.”

Pond says the cold temperatures are a perfect storm for skiers, tubers and snowboarders.

“We’ve seen more people this year, and it’s not because we didn’t have snow at this time last year. We make our own and when it gets cold enough, we turn our snow guns on,” says Pond. “But it’s more, when it feels like winter, people want to do wintery things.”

Pond expects the cold temps might lead to a longer than usual ski season this year.

Snow Creek, located on 40 acres of land with various terrain, employs about 400 people, including ski lift operators, instructors and ski patrol. The resort opened in 1985 and sits atop bluffs on the Missouri River.

Most Missouri schools close during frigid weather, some in hardest hit areas tough it out

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School districts across Missouri are closed today because of excessively cold weather.

Photo courtesy of Joplin Public Schools

After much of the state received one-to-three inches of snow on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, temperatures began to dive and continued to drop overnight Tuesday morning.

Wind chill values reached minus-10, and in some cases, minus-25.  The only part of the state spared from the extreme weather has been the far southeastern portion and the Bootheel area.

The two big cities of St. Louis and Kansas City closed their school districts in response to the frigid temperatures, as did most of their suburban counterparts.

Kindergarten through twelfth grade classes were cancelled in Springfield and its surrounding area, as well as in Joplin, Columbia and Jefferson City.  St. Joseph public schools north of Kansas City announced on its website that classes are cancelled “because of dangerously cold wind chills”.

Farther north in Bethany, where a wind chill warning was in effect, the South Harrison District chose to delay classes for two hours until 10 a.m.  Many other districts that chose not to call off school also delayed opening until 10 a.m.

Temperatures are predicted to rise by only five or six-degrees across Missouri on Wednesday morning before a warm-up takes hold over the rest of the week.  Districts have largely chosen to delay announcements on whether they’ll hold classes Wednesday.

The University of Missouri in Columbia held classes as scheduled Tuesday on the first day of the current semester.

Missouri experiences light snow, then possible coldest weather of year

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Most all of Missouri experienced snow flurries overnight Monday morning.  Accumulations are from one-to-three inches in the western and central portion of the state, while build-up in eastern Missouri is one-to-two inches.

MoDOT tow plow – Photo courtesy of Missouri Dept. of Transportation

Meteorologist Gary Schmocker with the National Weather Service in St. Louis says ground temperatures are quite cold, at zero or below, which means the snow will cling to surfaces.

“The snow is sticking on everything, so your sidewalks, parking lots, anything that’s not well treated is going to have some snow cover, some slippery spots,” said Schmocker.

Snow accumulation in the St. Louis area are expected to top out at one inch.

Meteorologist Spencer Mell with the National Weather Service in Kansas City doesn’t think motorists will experience excessively dangerous conditions.  “Everyone’s getting in on the snow,” said Mell.  “It’s not very heavy, but just enough to be kind of a nuisance out there, enough to make conditions a little treacherous, and you will have to take it easy.”

The snow on the ground in most of Missouri won’t by melting for several days.  The one-to-three inches of accumulation will stay in place through Wednesday because temperatures will hover at zero or below both Monday and Tuesday night.

Meteorologist Schmocker in St. Louis notes wind chill advisories will be in place across Missouri tonight, but the coldest conditions will be in the eastern region.

“The actual wind chill values will drop down,” Schmocker said.  “In the St. Louis area (it’ll be) around minus-15 early Tuesday morning for wind chills.  And then further north, up toward Kirksville, those areas we’re talking about minus-25 wind chills.”

Meteorologist Mell in Kansas City says the temperatures will warm up as the week progresses.  “Right now, we’re forecasting 50 degrees as we get into Saturday.  However, a little bit of snow on the ground could temper those temperatures as we get to the end of the week.  However, we will see a warm-up.”

The next chance of rain right now in Missouri is projected to be Saturday night into Sunday.