SNOW MAKES TRAVEL DIFFICULT; STORM SHOULD MOVE OUT OF AREA AROUND NOON

Snow that began falling about mid afternoon and lasted into the night Friday made travel hazardous across the area. Numerous traffic accidents were reported, particularly along Interstate 55, where a number of vehicles skidded off the highway, some overturning.

The National Weather Service said 3 to 5 inches of snow could fall before the storm moves out of the area about noon today.

"It should start tapering off around noon Saturday, with little accumulations expected Saturday afternoon and evening," said Jim Packett, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Today's high should be about 30.

State and city road crews were busy into the night spreading mixtures of salt and sand to help improve road conditions. Fortunately, the storm did not hit until after schools were dismissed in the immediate area.

These events were postponed because of the weather:

* An open house for the Mississippi County Courthouse today and Sunday. No new date was set.

* The Cape Girardeau Senior Center's annual fund-raising dinner, which was set for Sunday, will instead be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 6. For more information, call 335-1352 or visit the Senior Center at 921 N. Clark.

Medical experts urged people to use precautions in the cold. Southeast Missouri Hospital's emergency department has seen two cases of frostbite already this winter.

"Any time the temperature dips to 32 or below, you can get frostbite," said Nancy Johnson, a flight nurse for Southeast Missouri Hospital's LifeBeat helicopter service.

Frostbite is caused when skin tissue is frozen after exposure to cold temperatures, said Dr. David Schnur, medical director of St. Francis Medical Center's emergency department.

At 32 degrees, it might takes several hours for frostbite to set in, Johnson said. But the colder it is, the less exposure time it takes, she said. And the wind chill must be taken into account.

Frostbite typically affects the extremities -- fingers, toes, noses and ears, Schnur said. Superficial frostbite, where just the outer layer of skin is frozen, will look red like a burn. More serious cases cause blisters. Extreme cases can lead to amputation.

Prevention is basically doing what your mom always told you to do when the weather get cold -- bundle up, Johnson said.

People should dress in layers, wearing clothing against the skin that will wick away moisture. They should protect the ears, nose and cheeks by wearing scarf, hat and earmuffs. Wear gloves, preferably waterproof ones, to protect the hands. For the feet, Johnson recommends pulling on cotton socks next to the skin to absorb moisture and wool socks over the cotton ones for warmth and waterproof boots.

Even going outside wearing all those layers, it's best to come inside to warm up every 20 to 30 minutes when the temperature is below freezing.

"Remove all the wet clothing, warm up and put on dry clothing before going back outside," Johnson said.

She also recommends carrying extra blankets, coats, gloves, hats, perhaps even instant heat packets, which warm up when snapped, in the car in case of car trouble during cold weather.

"The two cases of frostbite we've seen have both been related to car accidents," Johnson said.

A good way to treat frostbite, or the more common frostnip, which is the stinging pain you feel when hands or feet get too cold, is immersion in warm, not hot, water, Schnur said. He said this can be done in a bathtub filled with water that's 104 to 108 degrees or slightly warmer than body temperature.

He said hot water or rubbing the area will only further damage fragile skin.

Another danger in extremely cold weather is hypothermia, when core body temperature drops below normal, Schnur said. This most often happens when people fall or lose consciousness in the cold. The elderly and small children are particularly vulnerable.

Johnson recommends those with elderly family members to check on them frequently during cold spells.