Several crashes, school cancellations follow area's Thursday morning snow

Early morning snow melted and turned to ice on some roadways Thursday morning as temperatures plummeted behind a cold front.

Some schools canceled classes, including Jackson, where police also urged motorists to avoid Highway 25 near South Elementary due to ice on the road.

Superintendent Dr. Ron Anderson said classes were canceled because there was a lot of variance in road conditions throughout the district, which covers a large geographical area.

"The snow hit in a funny time frame," he said. "It's really difficult when you have a front coming in at 6 or 6:30 and it's just wet, and then it changes quickly."

Jackson police said there were several crashes in the city limits Thursday morning because of slick roads.

Leopold, Zalma, St. Paul Lutheran School, Immanuel Lutheran School in Perryville, Perryville public schools and Oak Ridge also canceled classes. At least one nonschool organization, the Boys and Girls Club in Cape Girardeau, also canceled classes due to a combination of snow, ice and frigid temperatures combined with high winds.

According to the National Weather Service, snowfall totals for Southeast Missouri on Thursday morning ranged from around an inch up to two inches in parts of Perry County. Snow showers and flurries continued into the afternoon and night but resulted in little to no accumulation.

Temperatures started falling into the 20s during the morning after starting out above freezing, and wind chills dropped into in the teens by the afternoon. Winds were strong and gusty from the west northwest and were blowing snow in some areas, limiting visibility. A winter weather advisory was in effect for the area until 6 p.m. for Southeast Missouri and until midnight for areas to the east.

The forecast called for more cold today, with a forecast high in the upper 20s. Lows were expected to dip into the teens tonight before temperatures start to rebound Saturday.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol's Troop E reported no significant injury accidents, but a Perryville, Mo., woman received minor injuries when her vehicle struck an out-of-control automobile on Interstate 55, 12 miles north of Jackson.

Pertinent address:

1701 S. Hope St., Jackson, MO