The snowfall that accumulated across Mid-Missouri on Tuesday and this morning will continue to cause problems.
Blowing and drifting snow will make travel difficult, and wind chill factors are expected to be hazardous as well.
An Arctic air mass will spread across the area tonight, leading to very cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills. There are Wind Chill Warnings/Advisories in effect for late tonight through tomorrow morning across parts of Missouri and Illinois.
For Mid-Missouri, the National Weather Service has issued the following statement:
...WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY...
...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON CST THURSDAY...
- TIMING... STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE MORNING... PRODUCING BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. HAZARDOUS WIND CHILLS WILL THEN DEVELOP THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY MORNING.
- ACCUMULATIONS...LITTLE IF ANY ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED.
- WIND CHILL... AS LOW AS 23 BELOW DUE TO TEMPERATURES 9 BELOW TO 9 ABOVE ZERO... AND WINDS NORTHWEST 5 TO 10 MPH.
- WINDS... NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING UP TO 25 MPH THIS MORNING...AND AROUND 10 MPH TONIGHT.
- IMPACTS... BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL MAKE TRAVEL DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE MORNING. IN ADDITION... THE HAZARDOUS WIND CHILLS DEVELOPING THIS EVENING WILL POSE A DANGER FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT PROPERLY DRESSED FOR THESE CONDITIONS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THOSE PLANNING TRAVEL THIS MORNING SHOULD BE ADVISED THAT BECAUSE OF THE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW VISIBILITIES AND ROAD CONDITIONS WILL VARY GREATLY ACROSS THE AREA. IN RURAL AREAS... TRAVEL MAY BE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. IF TRAVEL IS NECESSARY... MAKE SURE TO EXERCISE CAUTION. BEGIN YOUR TRAVEL WITH A TANK FULL OF GAS... AND CARRY A
WINTER STORM KIT WHICH INCLUDES A SHOVEL... FLASHLIGHT... CELLPHONE... AND BLANKETS OF EXTRA WARM CLOTHING.
A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN A STRONG WIND COMBINES WITH VERY LOW TEMPERATURES TO CREATE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS FOR EXPOSED SKIN. THE COLD AIR AND WIND WILL MAKE IT FEEL LIKE IT IS BETWEEN 15 AND 24 DEGREES BELOW ZERO FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THOSE PLANNING TO VENTURE OUTDOORS SHOULD USE COMMON SENSE AND DRESS WARMLY... MAKING SURE THAT ALL EXPOSED SKIN IS COVERED.
Related:
Local forecast, radar, advisories (Alternatively here)
MoDOT Traveler Information Map
Jefferson City street conditions
School closings and weather-related announcements for Feb. 5, 2014 (Alternatively here)