Road conditions deteriorate as night falls in Southeast Missouri; storm wallops southern U.S.

This story was last updated at 6:56 p.m. Friday.

By Friday night moderate snowfall was continuing to coat the ground and roads in Cape Girardeau, and road crews were preparing to work throughout the night trying to keep primary routes as clear as possible.

Road conditions were rapidly deteriorating as snow fell faster than road crews could plow, leading to numerous fender benders.

National Weather Service forecasts indicated snow was expected to become heavier during the night through midnight. A chance of snow remained in the forecast through noon Saturday. A winter storm warning was in effect through 6 a.m. Saturday for Cape Girardeau County and areas south.

By 6:30 p.m. the National Weather Service reported two inches of snow had accumulated in Scott City. Near Poplar Bluff, 4.5 inches had fallen by 5:15 p.m.

Four to 10 inches of snowfall was expected in the Cape Girardeau area before the storm system was through.

By 3 p.m., about an inch of snowfall had fallen in Cape Girardeau, according to Dick Knaup, emergency management director for Cape Girardeau County. Knaup said most secondary roads are snow-packed and slick, while the salt treatment on primary roads was wearing off by mid-afternoon.

Road crews are expected to work throughout the night treating roadways with plows.

"The roads are hazardous but not dangerous yet," Knaup said. "People need to use common sense and stay home if at all possible. This is a great day to enjoy the snow falling and read a good book or watch a movie indoors."

Steve Green, building and code inspector with the Jackson public works department, said around 3 p.m. that roads were slippery but passable. Crews there began clearing roads around 7 a.m. today. But Green said road conditions in Jackson could worsen as heavier snow moves into the area later tonight. A crew of six likely will work throughout the night treating roadways, Green said.

Southeast Missouri State University planned to close at 4 p.m. so employees could arrive home before rush hour began. Southeast spokeswoman Ann Hayes said crews worked throughout the day applying salt to streets and sidewalks.

Fatal accident

The weather contributed to a fatal accident in Dunklin County late this morning.

Around 11:35 a.m. Kennette A. Meredith, 50, of Dexter, Mo., was driving her 1994 Ford southbound on Highway 25 when the vehicle ran off the roadway and overturned. Meredith was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sgt. Dale Moreland of the Missouri State Highway Patrol said such incidents are reminders that people should use extra caution when driving in wintry conditions.

"If at all possible people need to stay off the roadways today and tomorrow," Moreland said. "The roads to the south are really starting to get snow-covered and as the snow falls even more most roads in Southeast Missouri should become more hazardous."

By 5 p.m. the Missouri Department of Transportation reported Interstate 55 was party covered from Ste. Genevieve, Mo., south to Sikeston, Mo., and the road was completely covered in snow from Sikeston south to the Arkansas border. Highway 34 was covered in snow from Jackson to the west, and Highway 72 was partly covered west of Jackson.

U.S. 60 was completely covered from the Illinois line in the east to Springfield, Mo., and beyond to the west.

Snow blankets Old Sprigg Street Road in Cape Girardeau Friday, January 29, 2010. (Laura Simon)

The Cape Girardeau and Jackson police departments reported several weather-related accidents during the morning hours.

Cpl. Adam Glueck of the Cape Girardeau Police Department said nine traffic accidents had occurred in the city from 7 a.m. to around 3 p.m., though none resulted in injuries.

Jackson police reported six accidents between about 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Scott County emergency management director Joel Evans said slick roads had contributed to a few accidents that were not believed to be serious. Evans said crews will work through the weekend treating and clearing roadways.

In Bollinger County, emergency management director Jim Bollinger said the primary roads that were clear in the late morning hours were becoming dangerous for travel by mid-afternoon.

"I was out on Highway 51 and no matter how I steered my car it seemed to want to slide off the road," Bollinger said. "No one needs to be on the roads right now.

Storm widespread

The storm left 13 inches of snow in the northern Texas Panhandle, where nearly all of Interstate 40 from the Texas-Oklahoma line to New Mexico was closed.

Heavy ice brought down electrical lines and trees limbs, leaving nearly 142,000 homes and businesses in Oklahoma without power Friday, according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.

"In some places, as far you can see there are hundreds of utility poles on the ground," said Andrea Chancellor, spokeswoman for Public Service Co. of Oklahoma. She said it could be five days before electricity is restored to all customers.

Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen declared a state of emergency and state workers were sent home around lunch in anticipation of the worsening weather. Many businesses followed suit.

States of emergency were also declared in Arkansas and parts of Virginia and schools closed early in northern Alabama.

The Nashville area saw up to 3 inches of snow by midday, and I-40 traffic crawled by Nashville International Airport for miles because of an accident.

Cape Girardeau public works employees prepare trucks Thursday afternoon for spreading salt onto streets after midnight last night. (Fred Lynch)

The Texas Department of Transportation closed I-40 east and west of Amarillo on Friday and a few other major roadways. Downed power lines and icy, dangerous road conditions also temporarily closed a 50-mile stretch of I-44 southwest of Oklahoma City and parts of I-40 in far western Oklahoma and eastern New Mexico on Thursday.

Flights were canceled Friday morning at airports in Oklahoma City and Little Rock, Ark., and Memphis.

Arkansas State Police warned people who were driving to work on Friday to be prepared to be stranded. Spokesman Bill Sadler encouraged motorists to bring blankets, water and snacks with them and to line up a hotel room within walking distance or make other plans for an overnight stay.

Run on stores

Sleds, ice melt, milk and bread were among the most popular items at area grocery and hardware stores in the days leading up to today's snow.

Tyler Russom, manager of Buchheit in Jackson, said that a delivery of 80 snow sleds arrived at 3 p.m. Thursday and by the time the store opened this morning only six remained.

"Everyone was expecting that we'd wake up with snow on the ground this morning," Russom said. "It's a Friday and people were expecting schools to close, which meant they had a day of sledding."

Sharon Beussink, assistant manager at Schnucks in Cape Girardeau, said aisles and check-out lines were constantly full as shoppers grabbed milk, bread, eggs, chips and soft drinks.

"We've been busy since Wednesday, though Thursday had to be the busiest," Buessink said. "We brought in extra help to assist with the lines."

Country Mart in Jackson reported that milk, bread and ground beef were among the best sellers.

"Everyone bought anything and everything," manager Kevin Groves said. "We just tried to keep up with it."

Though later than expected, snow finally began falling in Cape Girardeau this morning.

Snow fall begins late

The National Weather Service had forecast snow would begin falling late Thursday but revised its forecast after snow had yet to reach the ground this morning. Around 7:30 a.m., light snow started falling in Cape Girardeau.

"We had an area of dry air we didn't anticipate and the system slowed down," said Jayson Wilson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky. "But we are still expecting snow.

"This is just an unusual storm," Wilson said. "Usually the more north you go the more snow you get as opposed to the south, which is seeing more of the wintry precipitation."

Schools cancel classes, dismiss early

Several area schools have called off classes for today. According to KZIM KSIM radio, schools canceling classes today included:

• Meadow Heights School in Patton, Mo.
• Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau
• Sikeston, Mo., public schools
• Woodland Schools in Marble Hill, Mo.
• Zalma, Mo., public schools

Several schools are dismissing early, including:

• Cape Girardeau Alternative Education Center at 10:50 a.m.
• Cape Girardeau junior high and high school at 11:35 a.m.
• Cape Girardeau elementary and middle schools at 12:15 p.m.
• Immaculate Conception School at 11:30 a.m.
• Jackson School District at 11:30 a.m.
• Nell Hollcomb School at 11:30 a.m.
• Cape Christian School at 12:30 p.m.
• St. Vincent de Paul School in Cape Girardeau at 11 a.m.
• St. Mary Cathedral School at 11 a.m.
• Scott City Elementary School at 10:45 a.m.
• Scott City Middle and High School at 11:15 a.m.
• Oran Schools at 12:15 p.m.
• Southeast Missouri State University called off evening classes.
• Care-a-Lot Learning Center at Kelso closed at 1 p.m.
• Eagle Ridge Christian School in Cape Girardeau closed at 1 p.m.
• Evening classes at the Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing were canceled.

A full list can be found at the station's website.

Community closings

The KZIM KSIM website reports the following community facility and event closings and cancelations:

• Tonight's dance at the Jackson American Legion hall is canceled.
• Bingo at 4:40 p.m. is canceled at Bingo World in Cape Girardeau.
• The Leopold Knights of Columbus is closed.

Sports cancellations

Terry Baker, left, and Danny Sisson salt the sidewalks in anticipation of more snowfall Friday, Jan. 29, 2010 at the Town Plaza in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

• The Oak Ridge vs. St. Vincent high school basketball game scheduled for tonight is canceled.
• The Sikeston vs. Kelly high school boys basketball game scheduled for tonight is canceled.
• The Cape Central vs. Poplar Bluff high school boys basketball game was canceled.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.