SLIP SLIDING AWAY: FIRST WINTER STORM OF YEAR PACKS SLEET, SNOW AND COLD WINDS

The new year was ushered in Friday with an icy vengeance in Southeast Missouri and the entire state, with a triple whammy of snow, sleet and windy conditions.

With a winter storm watch in effect, Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois residents braced for the potentially icy conditions from the first big winter storm of 1999.

And, the worst may be yet to come.

Forecasters late Friday were calling for more snow and sleet throughout parts of both states, with high accumulations expected in northern and central areas, including the St. Louis area, where as much as 10 to 12 inches of snow were expected.

Forecasters said the northern parts of Illinois and Indiana could get up to 14 inches of snow by tonight.

Highway and law enforcement officers are urging motorists to stay off streets and highways, if at all possible.

"Even the primary streets are getting bad," said Tim Gramling, assistant public works director at Cape Girardeau. "I wouldn't recommend going out unless you had to."

Cape Girardeau streets were passable through most of the day Friday as Department of Public Works crews went out at 1 p.m., shortly after snow flurries started, spreading salt with calcium chloride.

The chemical acts as a catalyst to speed melting and helped keep the freezing precipitation slushy.

Anticipating the storm, crews on Wednesday and Thursday treated hills and trouble spots with a brine solution that inhibits snow and ice from bonding with the pavement.

But many streets, especially secondary ones, glazed over as the sun went down and a freezing rain continued to fall.

Gramling said crews composed of about 10 workers were to continue working through the night Friday. The street crews were scheduled to be back at work all day today unless the storm lets up.

The story was much the same in Jackson. Public Works Director Jim Roach said streets were lightly covered with a mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain Friday night. Street crews were putting out cinders.

"We don't have a heavy accumulation at this point," Roach said.

Having the storm occur on New Year's Day may have been fortunate, Roach said. "At least it gives people an opportunity to stay home if they choose to."

One 24-hour, Cape Girardeau grocery store, Mr. K's Food Center, closed its doors at 8 p.m. Friday, and scheduled reopening at 6 a.m. today. Another 24-hour grocery, Schnucks, remained opened.

Stores, which were open Friday, were deluged by orders for snow shovels, salt and boots. Shoppers also filled up on milk and bread.

"It's slick, and we're busy," said a spokesman from the Missouri patrol headquarters at Poplar Bluff. "We wouldn't recommend that anyone travel right now."

Identical reports were being issued by the Illinois State Police from its District 22 headquarters near Ullin, sheriff's departments and city police officials throughout the area.

Icy roadways, blowing snow and wind have made for dangerous travel.

Few major-injury accidents have been reported, but "fender benders" are numerous, not only on highways but inside city limits.

The Cape Girardeau Police Department was busy Friday afternoon. At lease one city accident resulted in down power lines, which was quickly repaired.

Numerous vehicles have overturned on interstates and other roads.

"Most of these have resulted in only minor injuries," said one state patrol officer. "We've been fortunate that more major injuries have not been reported."

Bone-chilling temperatures have hovered around the area since Dec. 22, when the first major winter storm swept through the area, with temperatures hovering between the 5-degree mark to the mid-20s.

National Weather Service officials join law enforcement officers in urging motorists to stay off the roads.

"We don't advise travel at all," said one weather spokesman. "We're seeing powdery snow in some areas, and the strong winds are making visibility poor."

Snow flurries started in Cape Girardeau about noon Friday, but turned into sleeting rain by 2 p.m. resulting in iced-over streets and a number of traffic accidents.

All this comes within several days of the last big winter storm of 1998, which hit the area with a blast of arctic air and icy conditions just prior to the Christmas holidays.

Winter storm warnings are expected to continue through tonight and Sunday, with more snow, sleet and freezing rain. Some accumulations of snow and sleet accumulations are forecast for 2 to 4 inches in the Southeast Missouri and Bootheel areas.

The extended weather forecast calls for cloudy and snow flurries Sunday, with cold temperatures into Monday.

A slight warming trend is expected to start Tuesday, with temperatures ranging to the 40s by Wednesday in Southeast Missouri.

Meanwhile, authorities were out in force throughout the area over New Year's Eve, hoping to cut down on "driving while intoxicated" revelers. Authorities reported "relatively quiet" nights in Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri, including Cape Girardeau.

Two traffic fatalities were reported on the final day of 1998 in Missouri.

ROAD CONDITIONS

Winter road condition report

Missouri: 1-800-222-6400

Illinois: 1-800-452-4368