Another round: Cape Girardeau gets nine inches of snow in latest winter storm

A second winter storm brought 9 inches of snow to the Cape Girardeau area Wednesday, as well as three-tenths of an inch of sleet, according to the National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky.

But meteorologist Robin Smith said there is good news: "We should be done with snow like this."

On Wednesday morning, rain changed into freezing rain in Cape Girardeau as the temperature dropped, and sleet fell quickly. By 1 p.m., the sleet had changed to snow, which continued through the evening and overnight.

Interstate 55 and highways 75 and 61 were cleared by Thursday afternoon, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation. But the weather service cautioned travel still will be hazardous this morning, after temperatures plummet below zero overnight and refreeze any standing water or slush.

"The big thing with that is, even with what the road crews are spraying (Thursday), when you're looking at sub-zero temperatures, that does no good," Smith said.

The overnight low was predicted to reach minus 3 degrees. The record low for March 6 in Cape Girardeau is 20 degrees.

A high temperature between 25 and 35 degrees is expected today, with lows between 12 and 22 degrees.

Travel conditions will improve slowly over the weekend as higher temperatures move into the region, the weather service reported. Saturday will bring above-freezing temperatures, with a high between 42 and 47 degrees and a low in the upper 20s.

The expected high Sunday is 46 degrees, and Monday could have a high of 51.

Areas just north of Cape Girardeau on Wednesday saw between 4 and 6 inches of snow, the weather service reported, and areas to the south had totals between 8 and 10 inches.

The worsening weather caused numerous schools and businesses to cancel classes or close early Wednesday. Some remained closed Thursday and also announced weekend cancellations.

Southeast Missouri State University canceled classes and closed its offices through today, including Southeast's regional campuses at Kennett, Malden and Sikeston.

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri and other art galleries and businesses in downtown Cape Girardeau postponed the First Friday with the Arts event to 5 p.m. March 13.

The VSA Poetry Workshop, scheduled for Saturday, also was postponed until 11 a.m. March 28.

klamb@semissourian.com

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