Mid-Missouri is expected to become a "battleground" for opposing weather systems as moisture from the Gulf of Mexico jostles with a cold Canadian air mass.
The impactful, prolonged storm will begin with rain Tuesday evening and is expected to transition to a wintry mix around midnight in the Jefferson City area and then primarily to snow by Wednesday morning, said Kevin Deitsch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in St. Louis.
"Pretty high confidence that you're going to see at least 6 inches out there, but can't rule out some areas getting over a foot with this as well, especially north of Jeff City kind of up towards the Columbia/Mexico area," Deitsch said. "As we get into Wednesday night and then to Thursday morning, we could certainly see an inch per hour or maybe even localized 2 inches per hour."
Temperatures are forecast to be in the low 20s Wednesday morning and dip down to the mid-teens by Thursday morning.
"Travel is not advised Wednesday and Thursday," Deitsch said. "If people don't need to be on the roads, they shouldn't be. If they absolutely have to be on the roads, we're really encouraging folks to make sure that they have things in their car -- blankets, food, you know, just in case they get stuck."
Roads in Jefferson City are expected to need an above-average time allotment to be plowed, said Britt Smith, director of operations for the Jefferson City Department of Public Works.
"We're talking about a 36-hour storm, and typically we say that it takes us, on a normal snow, four to five hours to clear all the roads once the snow stopped, but if we're on that 12-inch side, we wouldn't put that under typical," Smith said, noting staff will probably add an additional 24 hours just for cleanup, if not 48.
Cole County Public Works crews are taking the storm as "business as usual," Public Works Director Eric Landwehr said.
He said crews Monday were making finishing touches to preparations, so they would be ready Tuesday night.
"It's all part of the game," he said, adding a check of the weather Tuesday would determine what the next steps are. "We may send the crew home a little early Tuesday to make sure they get rested up."
Each storm is a little different.
"We routinely, during the winter, we will treat our bridges with 'beet juice,' which includes salt and brine," Landwehr said. "If it rains, that washes it off. We can't do that this time because it's going to rain ahead of time."
He said staff have to watch for the temperature to fall below freezing.
"You've got to be ready to go as soon as it happens," he said. "That's why we're watching it pretty closely."
In Jefferson City, the snow route system is the first priority to be cleared, Smith said.
For snow storms around "2 or 3 inches, we pretty much treat every road about the same priority, but once we get into these heavy snows, we have to pull back to those main routes, the snow routes," he said.
Please park vehicles off the streets, Landwehr implored. Cars parked in the street create a number of issues for crews, hindering snow removal and in some cases creating visibility and safety issues.
Otherwise, he said crews are eager to begin clearing snow.
"We are at full operation, we'll have 24 plow trucks on the street," Smith said. "There's a number of associated support staff and sidewalk workers and things like that, that go along with that and then we also have our airport that'll be clearing as well."
The rain that is forecast to precede the winter event will make it more difficult to treat roads ahead of the storm, a Monday news release from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) said, also noting the bitter temperatures following the snow and ice will limit the effectiveness of chemicals used to clear covered roads.
"This is a potentially severe winter storm that will play out over several days and dump a mixed bag of freezing precipitation on most of the state," MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna said in the news release. "Up to 12 inches or more of snow has been forecast for portions of Missouri and other areas may receive freezing rain, ice and sleet in advance of the snowfall."
Though all available crews across the state will be working 12-hour shifts throughout the day and night, staffing levels are still short because of turnover and sickness, the news release said.
"This winter storm has the potential to create extremely hazardous driving conditions for most of the state," McKenna said in the news release. "We urge all drivers to plan to get to their destinations ahead of the storm and be prepared to stay there. If you can, stay home and give us room to work. Remember, every stranded car slows down the snowplow's ability to clear the roads and prevents emergency vehicles from reaching their destinations."
If involved in a minor crash or slide off the road, MoDOT recommends you remain in your vehicle with the seat belt buckled. Equip your vehicle with a winter weather emergency kit before you travel in winter weather. Include any necessary medications, a phone charger, a blanket, bottled water, nonperishable foods and a flashlight. For more items to include in a winter weather emergency kit, visit modot.org/winter.
Check current Missouri road conditions on the Traveler Information Map at www.modot.org, or through MoDOT's smartphone app, available for iPhone and Android phones. You can also find road conditions and warnings by following MoDOT on Facebook and Twitter or by calling 888-ASK-MODOT (888-275-6636) to speak with a customer service representative 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
This will be a significant storm crews will be battling, said Jason Shafer, MoDOT district maintenance engineer.
"With the forecast magnitude of this storm, we have to prepare more than we have to normally," Shafer said. "With the amount of snow and ice, we could have power outages."
Crews have to check all their gear, from trucks to chainsaws.
Yes, staffing remains a concern, he said. Already shorthanded, MoDOT, like everybody else, is fighting shortages the COVID-19 pandemic has caused, Shafer said.
"We are going to get around to all our roads," he said. "It may take longer than normal.
"The big thing we're anticipating is that travel will be a big problem for everybody. Anytime a person can stay home, we can take care of roads a little bit better and a little bit sooner."
See also:
Amtrak's Missouri River Runner cancels service due to winter storm
Additional resources online:
Mid-Missouri forecast, advisories, radar
MoDOT statewide traveler information map