AREA BRACES FOR FIRST STORM OF WINTER

Four to 8 inches of snow mixed with rain and sleet were forecast for parts of Southeast Missouri today.

The National Weather Service predicted the freezing precipitation would start about sunrise and continue until tonight.

Cape Girardeau County was expected to get 4 to 8 inches of snow and Scott County 2 to 4 inches. Rain and sleet were forecast for later in the day.

"Were as ready as we can be," said Kevin McMeel of the Cape Girardeau Department of Public Works' efforts to prepare for the storm. "We've got plows on and we have boxes full of sand and salt ready to go."

McMeel said that since the city purchased new equipment, there should be less down time for crews and equipment.

Cape Girardeau police also were busy Thursday preparing for the storm. Sgt. Carl Kinnison said police cruisers were outfitted Thursday with snow tires. He said officers will monitor the weather and notify the crews from public works if snow or freezing rain falls.

McMeel said the area was lucky to have lasted this long without a significant amount of snow or ice. He said in the four years he has been with the department, this is the latest crews have had to prepare for a winter storm.

"We were called out the Christmas of '92 and '93," he said. "We're usually called out before New Year's, but not this year."

McMeel said crews were called out to handle snow as early as Halloween in 1993.

"We hope this is snow, if we have to have anything at all," he said. "We can only do so much with ice."

Saturday's forecast called for partly to mostly cloudy skies with highs in the 20s to mid-30s.

The extended forecast was for partly cloudy skies Sunday through Tuesday with lows in the teens north to 20s south and highs in the 30s to lower 40s.

Thursday's highs ranged from 28 in Cape Girardeau to 38 in Joplin. Lows were from minus 8 in St. Joseph to 9 in Joplin.