freezing rain Archives

Friday’s vaccination event in southeast Missouri is a go; Poplar Bluff crews work to clear ice

February 11, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

State officials say Friday’s mass vaccination clinic in southeast Missouri’s Poplar Bluff will continue as scheduled, despite a two-day ice storm.

Members of the Missouri National Guard gather in southeast Missouri’s Poplar Bluff for the January 22, 2021 vaccination event (file photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

About 1,900 people received their first Pfizer COVID vaccinations in Poplar Bluff on January 22. Friday’s event will be for the second COVID shot.

The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Butler County health officials say Friday’s event will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Black River Coliseum (BRC). The BRC is a 5,000 seat multi-purpose arena.

Butler County health officials say Poplar Bluff Police and street crews have been working to clear ice and ensure that sidewalks and the parking lot are safe.

Golf carts from the Poplar Bluff parks department will be used to help those unable to walk from the parking lot to the front door. And the Black River Coliseum’s top drive is open for anyone dropping off or picking up those who will be receiving their COVID vaccination.

Poplar Bluff was hit hard by the ice storm that hit Wednesday and Thursday. Parts of southeast Missouri received about a half-inch of ice during the storm. That half-inch included sleet, which came after freezing rain.

Most schools across southeast Missouri have been closed. The ice storm also caused numerous crashes on I-55 and I-57.

Half-inch of ice is possible in southeast Missouri; MoDOT urges residents to stay home (AUDIO)

February 10, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

Freezing rain has been causing numerous crashes across southeast Missouri on Wednesday. Much of the region remains under an ice storm warning. Poplar Bluff, Kennett, Malden and Caruthersville are just some of the towns in the warning area.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Paducah is receiving numerous reports of crashes along I-55 in southeast Missouri and in the Poplar Bluff area (February 10, 2021 graphic courtesy of NWS Paducah Twitter)

Up to a half-inch of ice is possible in parts of southeast Missouri, through tomorrow morning. National Weather Service (NWS) Paducah meteorologist Derrick Snyder is urging southeast Missourians to stay home.

“Now we’ve had another round of moderate to heavy sleet that has fallen on top of that freezing rain that’s really caused a mess on the roads, especially the untreated side roads and parking lots, sidewalks,” Snyder says.

State Department of Transportation (MoDOT) crews are working continuous 12-hour shifts throughout southeast Missouri. MoDOT emphasizes that chemicals used to treat the roads start to lose their effectiveness below 25 degrees. They’re urging you to have a full tank of gas.

“As we go through tonight with the freezing rain continuing, there is the potential for some scattered power outages, especially in the Missouri Bootheel area and then further north to around Poplar Bluff,” says Snyder.

Snyder also says there have been numerous reports of crashes in the Poplar Bluff area and along I-55, and motorists are also reporting black ice on bridges and overpasses.

Missourinet Cape Girardeau television partner KFVS reports that Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop E in Sikeston has received 137 calls for service, which includes 68 crashes and 49 stranded motorists due to ice.

Missourinet Farmington affiliate KREI reports almost all schools in their southeast Missouri listening area have canceled classes. Our Kennett affiliate KBOA reports the same, throughout the Bootheel.

Much of the ice storm warning area was also hit by the deadly January 2009 ice storm, which brought three days of ice, sleet and snow to the region.

The Delta Center in Portageville notes the 2009 storm left about 100,000 people without power from Poplar Bluff to the Bootheel to southern Illinois. More than 100 shelters were opened across southeast Missouri, because of that ice storm.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with National Weather Service (NWS) Paducah meteorologist Derrick Snyder, which was recorded on February 10, 2021:

Major winter storm to bring ice, sleet, snow and freezing rain to Missouri (AUDIO)

January 10, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

At least 30 school districts across northern Missouri dismissed classes early Friday afternoon, to get students home before roads deteriorate during a major winter storm.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill has updated the timing of the winter storm that will impact much of Missouri (January 10, 2020 map courtesy of NWS Twitter)

The National Weather Service (NWS) says freezing rain has started in northwest Missouri, part of a winter storm system that will impact much of the state this weekend. State transportation officials say roads in northwest Missouri are already covered or partially covered in snow or ice.

NWS Pleasant Hill meteorologist Scott Blair says the complicated system is bringing a combination of sleet and snow to far northwest Missouri.

“What we have ongoing right now is some freezing rain and that is going to cause quite a lot of problems as we continue on in the afternoon hours through those evening hour time frames,” Blair says.

Maryville and Bethany are expected to see five to eight inches of snow.

Mr. Blair says a line stretching from Kansas City to Chillicothe to Kirksville should see rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow.

“And as that colder air arrives after sunset we will start seeing that potential for both freezing rain and then eventually sleet to move into the area,” says Blair.

Four to six inches of snow are expected in Chillicothe and St. Joseph. Cities like Columbia and Moberly could see up to a quarter-of-an-inch of ice. Jefferson City could see some ice as well.

The NWS and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) are also warning you to be on the alert for refreezing of roads Saturday night into Sunday morning, across central, northern and western Missouri. Blair urges you to be cautious.

“The key point takeaway is don’t worry so much about the exact amount of snow forecast,” Blair says. “Just remember that this is going to be a combination of both a glaze of ice, followed by snow on top of that.”

Missourinet Cameron affiliate KMRN (AM 1360) reports more than 25 schools in northwest and north-central Missouri are dismissing early today. They include the St. Joseph, Gallatin and Princeton School Districts. Our Moberly affiliate KWIX (AM 1230) reports four districts have dismissed early in their listening area, including the Green City and Milan School Districts.

The NWS says a flash flood watch is in effect for southern and central Missouri, including Columbia and Springfield.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Scott Blair, which was recorded on January 10, 2020:

Freezing rain, sleet, snow on Thursday, dangerously low temperatures and windchills for the weekend (INFOGRAPHICS / AUDIO)

December 3, 2013 By Jessica Machetta

Unusually mild weather for December will continue today, but starting tomorrow, winter weather is coming in with a vengeance. The National Weather Service is telling folks to be prepared.

The National Weather Service hubs in Missouri are reporting that a cold front will move through the state tonight, ushering in a polar airmass that will persist through the weekend. That means all sorts of winter weather for most of the state beginning Thursday, Dec. 4.

Andy Boxell is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Springfield. He says it looks like the worst of it is expected to be along the Interstate 44 corridor, with higher precipitation amounts to the South. But he says it’s too early to tell exactly what kind of winter precipitation will fall where, and how much. Boxell says just a few degrees difference can change the entire outlook. He’s asking everyone to watch the forecasts and be prepared. For now, it looks like rain and freezing rain will dominate the southern portion of the state, with sleet south of Interstate 70 and snow blanketing the center of the state, stretching from Kansas City to St. Louis. However, the system stretches far beyond Missouri, from Oklahoma and Arkansas, through Missouri, and into Illinois and Ohio.

Boxell says the wintery mix of precipitation will be followed by extremely cold temperatures this weekend, with single digit readings and below-zero windchills.

Now is the time to take winter weather precautions if you haven’t already … stocking up on salt, weather proofing your vehicle, and making sure your pets have indoor accommodations.

AUDIO: Jessica Machetta reports (1:19)

Boxell says everyone should focus not on how many inches of snow we might get, but rather on the fact that winter weather is coming. See the information below for a region-by-region breakout. (Click images to enlarge.) Visit the following links to see updated information as the front develops. To check the forecast in your area, visit the National Weather Service in Springfield, National Weather Service in Kansas City (Pleasant Hill), or National Weather Service in St. Louis. For weather conditions in the Southeast Missouri portion of Missouri, visit the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky.

KANSAS CITY (Pleasant Hill):

Mild, dry weather will continue through Tuesday with above normal temperatures. Patchy dense fog covers a large part of the state this morning. A cold front will move through the region tonight bringing much colder conditions. A chance of snow is possible Thursday and Friday mainly along and south of the Interstate 70 corridor, with the highest totals expected over southwestern Missouri.

ST. LOUIS:

After seeing above normal temperatures early this week, a strong cold front will move through the area on Wednesday. Much colder air will move into the area behind the front. A wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain will develop from southeast Missouri into south central Illinois on Thursday with a band of snow to the north. The chance of snow will continue over the area into Friday. Well below normal temperatures are expected through next weekend as an arctic high settles over the Great Lakes.

SPRINGFIELD:

A mix of winter precipitation and much colder temperatures will impact the region Thursday into Friday. Accumulating winter precipitation is expected but the exact precipitation type and amounts remain uncertain. Very cold weather will continue through the weekend with another chance of winter weather on Sunday. An episode of snow, sleet, and freezing rain is forecasted over extreme southeast Kansas and the Missouri Ozarks. Most of the region will experience light to moderate snow accumulations. Meanwhile, areas of far southern and south central Missouri will have a risk for freezing rain, leading to ice accumulations.

PADUCAH (Ky.):

Considerable winter weather impacts will be possible for some areas Thursday night through Friday. Mainly rain is expected Thursday. However, colder air will spread southeast across the area, so that by Thursday evening, a transition to freezing rain or sleet is forecast into southeast Missouri and southern Illinois. Late Thursday night, the transition to wintry precipitation should extend to about the Ohio River, with wintry precipitation developing across the rest of west Kentucky through the day Friday. It is still too soon to forecast specific amounts given the complexity of this storm system. However, the potential does exist for moderate accumulations of ice and sleet, with some snow possible, across portions of the region.

Minor ice accumulation possible Sunday morning

January 25, 2013 By Mike Lear

Missourians could wake up to some icy conditions Sunday morning.

Graphic courtesy of the National Weather Service.

National Weather Service meteorologist Chris Bowman says north central and northeastern Missouri will see a brief period of freezing rain and light ice accumulation.

“Starting as early as midnight or so Sunday morning and persisting maybe through late morning all the way up into the Kirksville area and the St. Louis area. Probably going to be moving out mid-morning before temperatures warm up enough that it’s just going to rain.”

Bowman says as much as two-tenths of an inch of ice might accumulate in some parts of east and northeast Missouri.

He says the event will make travel that morning very difficult.

“Even just a hundredth of an inch of ice can really slicken the roads up, so if you have a tenth of an inch to fifteen hundredths of an inch, that’s going to make traction on roads pretty difficult until that warm air can move in and warm temperatures up above freezing.”

Bowman says the system could impact travel from around 6:00 in the morning through noon, Sunday.