Lebanon Archives - Missourinet

Southern Missouri will see heaviest snowfall with next storm system (AUDIO)

February 16, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

While most of Missouri is still digging out from a two-day snowstorm, another winter storm is heading for the Show-Me State. The heaviest snow will fall tonight and Wednesday near the Missouri-Arkansas border, where towns like Branson and West Plains could see more than three inches of additional snow.

The National Weather Service Springfield office’s winter weather advisory goes into effect tonight for the Ozarks (February 16, 2021 graphic courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter)

A winter weather advisory takes effect tonight across the Ozarks. National Weather Service (NWS) Springfield meteorologist Kyle Perez says the I-44 corridor will see about three inches.

“Many of our roads are still partly to mostly covered, especially the secondary roads that have not had a chance to (have) been plowed yet or lay down salt,” Perez says.

This week’s snowstorm dropped about five inches of snow along southern Missouri’s I-44 corridor, and Mr. Perez expects snow to overspread the region again tonight, into Wednesday.

“That can make for dangerous travel with additional snowfall along that 44 corridor approaching anywhere from two to three and isolated four inch amounts, especially down towards the Joplin region,” says Perez.

Southwest Missouri’s Joplin, Springfield and Lebanon should see an additional three inches.

Mid-Missouri’s Jefferson City and Columbia will likely see one to two inches, while an inch of snow is expected in northern Missouri.

Perez is urging Missourians to take proper precautions at home or on the road.

“The dangerous cold has really made for dangerous travel across the Ozarks region, and we encourage everybody to have an emergency kit that they carry in their car as well as one at home,” Perez says.

The Table Rock Lake area could also see three inches of additional snowfall.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with National Weather Service (NWS) Springfield meteorologist Kyle Perez, which was recorded on February 16, 2021:

All state offices closed in Missouri on Tuesday

February 16, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

The winter storm battering all of Missouri has forced the Office of Administration (OA) to close all Missouri offices on Tuesday.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield has issued a wind chill warning for the Ozarks through Tuesday morning (February 15, 2021 graphic courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter)

It’s due to the snowstorm and to hazardous road conditions. The National Weather Service (NWS) has been urging Missourians to stay off the roads, if possible.

Tuesday’s closure won’t impact emergency services like the Missouri State Highway Patrol. And crews from the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will still plow roads.

The current plan is to reopen state offices on Wednesday morning.

The winter storm and anticipated additional snow has also caused the Missouri Senate to cancel session for the entire week in Jefferson City. The Missouri House has canceled session for Monday and Tuesday. There are House hearings scheduled for Wednesday, at this time.

“With additional snow and ice in the forecast for much of the state, we want to be sensitive to the safety of our staff and members. Next week’s forecast looks great – excited to get back to JC (Jefferson City) and get back to work,” Leader Rowden tweeted.

The NWS in Springfield says more snow is expected across southern Missouri’s Ozarks from Tuesday night through Thursday. The heaviest snow is expected to be near the Missouri-Arkansas border. Branson, Thayer and West Plains should see four to six inches of additional snowfall.

The NWS in Springfield has also issued a wind chill warning, which remains in effect through Tuesday morning. Wind chills in Lebanon and Waynesville will make it feel like 15 degrees below zero.

Missouri Senate cancels session all week due to snow and ice; winter storm warning continues in Bootheel

February 15, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

The statewide winter storm hitting the Show-Me State has caused the Missouri Senate to cancel session for this week in Jefferson City.

The Senate and House had already canceled session for Monday, due to the snowstorm and the dangerously cold temperatures.

Missouri Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia) speaks before Governor Parson’s State of the State Address on January 27, 2021 in Jefferson City (file photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, tweeted an update today that the Missouri Senate will not be in session this week.

House Majority Leader Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres, tells Missourinet the House will not be in session on Tuesday, due to the winter weather. All Missouri House committee hearings scheduled for Tuesday are now canceled.

For now, the Missouri House has hearings scheduled for Wednesday.

A winter storm warning remains in effect for southeast Missouri until tonight. That’s a region where residents are still trying to recover from last week’s two-day ice storm.

The National Weather Service (NWS) Paducah office says the highest snow totals are in rural Ripley County’s Oxly, which has already seen six inches of snow. Poplar Bluff and the Bootheel towns of Kennett and Malden have seen four to six inches of snow.

The winter storm warning across the southern Missouri Ozarks has expired, but travel remains difficult.

The NWS Springfield office says southwest Missouri’s Joplin has seen five inches of snow. Springfield has received four inches, while three to four have fallen in Lebanon.

In southern Missouri’s Salem, there’s been five inches of snow. Missourinet Salem affiliate KSMO reports snow drifts of about a foot are blowing against buildings. KSMO reports ice has refrozen under the snow.

The NWS Springfield office also notes more snow is expected across the Ozarks from Tuesday night through Thursday. The heaviest snow will be near the Missouri-Arkansas border, where Branson and West Plains should see four to six inches of additional snowfall.

Southern Missouri’s I-44 corridor to see heaviest snowfall Sunday and Monday

February 12, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

While all of Missouri is expected to see snow on Sunday evening into Monday, the National Weather Service (NWS) expects the heaviest snow to be along the heavily-traveled I-44 corridor in southern Missouri.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield expects Springfield, Joplin and Lebanon to receive three to six inches of snow Sunday into Washington’s Birthday (February 12, 2021 graphic courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter)

NWS Springfield meteorologist Eric Wise tells Missourinet they’re expecting three waves of snow, bringing a total of three to six inches in Joplin, Springfield, Lebanon, Waynesville and up to Rolla. Three to six inches of snow is also expected along the Missouri-Arkansas border, impacting towns like Branson and Thayer.

Temperatures and wind chills will remain dangerously cold in the Ozarks and across the state through next week.

Meantime, the National Weather Service in Paducah has issued a winter storm watch for most of southeast Missouri for Sunday night through Monday evening. The NWS Paducah office says Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Poplar Bluff and Kennett are in the watch area. Four or more inches of snow is likely, and drifting is expected because of 20-mile per hour winds.

The NWS recommends that Missourians fill up their gas tanks before the winter storm.

Freezing drizzle continues near I-44 corridor; wind chill advisory takes effect at midnight across northern Missouri

February 8, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

Up to one-tenth of an inch of ice is possible across the Southern Missouri Ozarks through Monday night. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield’s winter weather advisory remains in effect for the entire Ozarks region.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield warns up to one-tenth of an inch of ice is possible across the Ozarks through Monday night (February 8, 2021 graphic courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter)

Freezing drizzle continues to impact much of the I-44 corridor, including Joplin, Springfield, Marshfield and Lebanon.

Meantime, much of northwest and far northern Missouri will be under a wind chill advisory through Tuesday morning. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill has issued the advisory, which takes effect at midnight and includes St. Joseph, Chillicothe, Bethany and Kirksville. Wind chills will make it feel like 15 below zero. The wind child advisory expires Tuesday morning at 9.

Crews from the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) have been working around the clock statewide, to clear roads of snow and ice. Those efforts are being impacted by the bitterly cold temperatures.

In Jefferson City, roads quickly deteriorated on Monday evening. Snow and frozen precipitation has been falling, and there’s also been some black ice. Missouri Boulevard, which is the Capital City’s busiest road, is snow-covered.

The Jefferson City Public Schools (JCPS) announced Monday evening there is no school on Tuesday due to the inclement weather and potentially unsafe travel conditions.

The winter weather has also impacted the ability of some Missouri lawmakers to travel to Jefferson City for session. House Education Committee Chairwoman Rep. Brenda Shields, R-St. Joseph, couldn’t make it to Jefferson City from St. Joseph, where snow and freezing rain had been falling. Committee vice chairman John Black, R-Marshfield, ran Monday’s hearing about tuition-related legislation from State Rep. Doug Richey, R-Excelsior Springs.

Across the Capitol building in the Missouri Senate, President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, tells Missourinet that several state senators were delayed in getting to Jefferson City, due to the winter weather. They were all able to get in, by late afternoon.

UPDATE: New Year’s Day winter storm could bring half-inch of ice to portions of Missouri (AUDIO)

January 1, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) is urging most Missourians to avoid traveling most of New Year’s Day, as a major winter storm approaches from the south.

The National Weather Service (NWS) offices in Pleasant Hill and Springfield have issued winter storm warnings for large parts of Missouri (December 31, 2020 map courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter)

NWS Pleasant Hill meteorologist Pamela Pietrycha says Kansas City, Columbia, Jefferson City, Chillicothe, Moberly and Marshall will be under a winter storm warning starting at midnight, January 1st.

“Generally along that Butler to Sedalia to Moberly line, including Columbia, Jefferson City and some areas south of there … could see a quarter-of-an-inch all the way up to perhaps a half-an-inch of ice accumulation,” Pietrycha says.

Mid-Missouri’s Boonville and northeast Missouri’s Hannibal are also included in the warning area.

“If you don’t need to travel, please don’t. Conditions are going to deteriorate very rapidly tomorrow (New Year’s Day) morning especially,” says Pietrycha.

Many other parts of Missouri will be under a winter weather advisory. Northwest Missouri’s St. Joseph and Trenton are in the advisory area.

“We’re looking at about one to three inches (of snow), possibly some people on the south side of St. Joe (St. Joseph), down towards the Kansas City area would see a little bit higher snowfall,” Pietrycha says.

Meantime, the NWS Springfield office says southwest Missouri’s Lebanon and Bolivar could see up to a half-inch of ice. Waynesville, which is near Fort Leonard Wood, could get a quarter-of-an-inch of ice.

Those areas are all under a winter storm warning, along with Osage Beach.

The NWS Springfield office is urging residents across the Ozarks to be prepared for the loss of power.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and National Weather Service (NWS) Pleasant Hill meteorologist Pamela Pietrycha, which was recorded on December 31, 2020:

MoDOT: I-44 rest areas at southwest Missouri’s Conway to re-open this weekend, following deep cleaning

July 10, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

State transportation officials say heavily-used rest areas on I-44 in southwest Missouri’s Conway are temporarily closed, after a cleaning contractor tested positive for COVID-19.

A deep cleaning is underway at both the eastbound and westbound rest areas at Conway, which is a town of about 800 residents. Conway is about 40 miles northeast of Springfield and about 15 miles southwest of Lebanon.

Thousands of truckers use those rest areas each month, while hauling freight across the country.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says an employee with the company that cleans Missouri’s welcome centers and rest areas has tested positive for the coronavirus. That employee recently cleaned the Conway rest areas.

MoDOT says the company that cleans Missouri’s rest areas and welcome centers, DBi, notified the agency about the positive test on Thursday. MoDOT immediately closed both the eastbound and westbound rest areas at Conway.

MoDOT says the westbound rest area is being cleaned and disinfected first, and is set to reopen on Saturday. Once it opens, the eastbound rest area will be cleaned and disinfected, and should reopen on Sunday. State officials say the welcome centers are being cleaned following CDC guidance, and that the deep cleaning is being performed at no cost to MoDOT.

Parking is still available at both rest areas, and DBi has also installed portable toilets at both locations.

MoDOT says Missouri maintains eight welcome centers, 14 rest areas and 23 truck-only parking sites on seven interstates across the state.

Storms blow semis over on I-44; 6,000 without power in southwest Missouri’s Laclede County

May 5, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

(Missourinet Springfield television partner KOLR-10 and our Lebanon affiliate KBNN contributed to this story)

Monday afternoon’s severe weather across southern Missouri prompted numerous severe thunderstorm warnings from the National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield, and has left several thousand residents without power in southwest Missouri’s Laclede County.

There are no reports of serious injuries, at this time.

Missourinet Springfield television partner KOLR-10 reports Laclede Electric Cooperative (LEC) has about 6,000 members without power. LEC says those members should be prepared for a 24 to 48-hour outage.

Missourinet Lebanon affiliate KBNN reports Monday’s severe weather caused damage at the Floyd Jones Airport in Lebanon (May 4, 2020 photo courtesy of KBNN Radio website)

Laclede Electric Cooperative says there is extensive damage to its power infrastructure in the Lebanon area, including multiple broken poles and transmission lines. There are also numerous reports of trees falling on power lines.

National Weather Service Springfield meteorologist Michael Albano tells Missourinet the NWS’ Springfield office has already issued a combined total of 54 severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings today. 52 of them were severe thunderstorm warnings, and the tornado warnings were in the Goodman area and in the Barton/Cedar/Vernon county area.

Mr. Albano tells Missourinet the greatest damage appears to be in Laclede County, from apparent straight-line winds.

The strong winds blew several tractor trailers over on heavily-traveled I-44 in Laclede County, near the Durham Company in Lebanon. Truckers from across the nation use that route every week, delivering goods.

KOLR-10 showed video of the semis. It appears that one blew over on eastbound I-44, while the other blew over on westbound I-44.

Missourinet Lebanon affiliate KBNN reports there is also damage at Lebanon’s Floyd Jones Airport.

KOLR-10 also reports severe storms have destroyed the roof at Mansfield High School in southern Missouri’s Wright County.

Columbia, Jefferson City, Springfield and Branson are all at enhanced risk of severe storms (AUDIO)

April 28, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) expects much of Missouri to see thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon and evening, and large parts of southwest, west-central and mid-Missouri are at an enhanced risk for severe thunderstorms.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Springfield expects severe thunderstorms across much of southwest and mid-Missouri on Tuesday evening. Isolated tornadoes are possible (map courtesy of NWS Springfield Twitter)

NWS Springfield meteorologist Kyle Perez is urging you to have multiple ways of receiving weather warnings, saying that an enhanced risk means numerous severe storms are possible.

“The main threats we are looking at across the region today include hail up to the size of two inches in diameter, damaging wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour,” Perez says.

Far southwest Missouri’s McDonald County is the only county in the state listed at “moderate” risk, which is the next category up from enhanced. Isolated tornadoes are possible in towns like Noel, Jacket and Rocky Comfort.

Jefferson City, Springfield, Joplin, Branson, Lebanon, West Plains and Rolla are all in the enhanced area, and Perez says storms and hail are likely there between 6 and 9 this evening.

“The initial thunderstorms that will develop will be super cells, so those actually will have the capability of producing little bit stronger tornadoes generally,” says Perez.

Southwest Missouri’s Nevada and Lebanon are also in the enhanced area.

Northwest Missouri’s Maryville and Chillicothe are also expected to see thunderstorms late this afternoon, and southeast Missouri’s Cape Girardeau and Poplar Bluff are expected to see storms as well.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and National Weather Service (NWS) Springfield meteorologist Kyle Perez, which was recorded on April 28, 2020:

Lebanon bedding maker now producing hospital gowns and masks for CoxHealth

April 2, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

News Director Patty Burns of KBNN Radio in Lebanon contributed to this story.

A southwest Missouri furniture and bedding factory best-known for making mattresses and sofas is now producing gowns and masks for hospitals and for nursing homes.

Justice Furniture in Lebanon had numerous customers postpone orders because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Owner Angie Jackson tells Missourinet Lebanon affiliate KBNN that producing the gowns and masks addresses a critical health care need, and keeps her employees working.

An employee at Justice Furniture in southwest Missouri’s Lebanon works on a hospital gown (March 2020 photo Patty Burns, KBNN Radio)

“I have a lot of extremely talented sewers and we deal in fabrics all the time, which the masks and gowns aren’t necessarily our type of fabrics,” Jackson says. “But it just seemed like it might be a good fit.”

Justice Furniture is making surgical gowns and masks for Springfield-based CoxHealth, and for some area nursing homes.

“We have been making gowns for isolation units and surgical gowns for them (CoxHealth), and then I will also be making some gowns for a couple of nursing homes in Lebanon who have reached out to me,” says Jackson.

Other Lebanon manufacturers are also providing critical gear: Dowco is making plastic shields for doctors and nurses.

Detroit Tool Engineering is making components for personal protective equipment (PPE), and Emerson is making components for air conditioners, which are critical in warmer climates.

Lebanon is located in Laclede County, about 54 miles northeast of Springfield.