Mid-Missouri skates by latest winter weather with few accidents

Local law enforcement agencies reported few traffic accidents Thursday after another round of winter weather moved through Mid-Missouri.

The Jefferson City Police Department and the Missouri Highway Patrol's Troop F Headquarters said their officers and troopers worked a few slide-off accidents but saw no serious crashes around the Jefferson City area.

"It seems that when the precipitation moved through in the morning, the temperature was at or above freezing," said Jefferson City Police Department Capt. Bob Clark. "I went out in the area around Capital Mall and some of the other side streets, and there was no trouble getting around. Once the colder air moved through, it dried many places out, but the possibility of some black ice spots still exists."

The Highway Patrol warned Thursday of snow- and ice-covered roads in the northern and western part of the state, the Associated Press reported. The National Weather Service issued ice storm warnings and winter weather advisories Thursday for much of Missouri.

"Most of our calls were in Cooper, Boone and Audrain counties on Wednesday and Thursday, although I'd say the call volume was about half the amount on Thursday as what we had Wednesday," said Highway Patrol Troop F Spokesman Sgt. Scott White. "Most of our counties south of I-70 didn't get the icy precipitation as those north of I-70 did."

The National Weather Service in St. Louis forecasts potential for another round of wintry precipitation starting Saturday night and lasting into Sunday due to a low pressure system passing through the region, with temperatures staying at or below freezing. Forecasts anticipate snow Sunday morning in northern Missouri, with a light glazing possible for areas south of I-70. However, with the system still a couple of days away, forecasters said it was too early to say in what form the precipitation would come.