A powerful storm system developed over the Rockies and moved into the central U.S. Wednesday, bringing heavy snow and strong winds to the central Plains. The storm is expected to bring snow and ice to Missouri early on Thursday.
The National Weather Service is issuing a Winter Storm Warning for Thursday, with the forecast calling for snow, sleet and freezing rain.
The Winter Storm Warning will be in effect from 6 a.m. to midnight Thursday. Accumulations of snow and sleet are expected from three to seven inches, along with up a tenth of an inch of ice. The prediction is that snow will be heavier in northern sections of Missouri, with ice heavier in southern sections.
The NWS also issued the following statement for Mid-Missouri:
- TIMING...PRECIPITATION WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE ON THURSDAY MORNING...WILL BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES DURING THE DAY...AND THEN TAPER OFF BY EVENING. THE PRECIPITATION WILL TEND TO BE MORE SNOW EARLY IN THE EVENT BUT IS EXPECTED TO BECOME MIXED WITH SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN DURING THE DAY ON THURSDAY BEFORE TAPERING OFF AS FREEZING DRIZZLE THURSDAY EVENING. PRECIPITATION WILL TEND TO BE MORE FREEZING RAIN SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 70 AND MORE SNOW NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70.
- ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATION OF 3 TO 7 INCHES...ALONG WITH UP TO ONE TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE.
- WINDS...EAST 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH.
- IMPACTS...HEAVY SNOW...SLEET AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON TRAVEL. ICE MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO TREES AND POWER LINES.
- PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS THAT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SNOW... SLEET AND/OR ICE IS EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE.
The area impacted by the storm includes nearly all of Missouri, including the Mid-Missouri counties of: Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Camden, Cole, Gasconade, Maries, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Monroe, Montgomery and Osage.
Additional:
Weather-related school closings, announcements for Feb. 21, 2013