Winter weather brings slick conditions to area

Winter weather on Wednesday dealt a second blow in just a few weeks to Southeast Missouri, causing slick and snow-covered roads and forcing closings and cancellations across a large area.

At 10 a.m. Wednesday, rain had changed into freezing rain in Cape Girardeau as the temperature dropped, the National Weather Service reported, and sleet fell quickly in downtown. Large snowflakes began to come down by 1 p.m., and the ground became covered.

The Missouri Department of Transportation reported Interstate 55 and major highways north of Benton, Missouri, were covered by noon Wednesday. Several vehicles slid off the road on Interstate 55 near Cape Girardeau, and scanner traffic indicated multiple wrecks throughout the late morning and afternoon.

Cape Girardeau police spokesman Darin Hickey said police would not assist in towing vehicles from the median on the interstate because it was too dangerous to try to slow or stop traffic for a tow truck, but officers would help people get to a safe location.

Wednesday's forecast called for freezing rain and sleet to change to snow throughout the day, with Cape Girardeau likely to receive between six and eight inches of snow by the time the storm moves out of the area Thursday morning.

Plows in Cape Girardeau worked the roads before noon Wednesday as sleet and snow fell. Outside the city limits, officials looked for sufficient supplies to fight worsening road conditions.

Cape Girardeau County, which plows and salts nearly 200 miles of paved county roads during winter storms, was running short on salt, with between 40 and 50 tons remaining of the original 300 or so tons the county bought before winter began.

"We can probably make it through this one, but we would never make it through another one with what we've got left," said Associate Commissioner Paul Koeper.

The county will mix its remaining salt with cinders to treat roads, Koeper said, and Wednesday afternoon he asked the city of Cape Girardeau and MoDOT to consider selling extra salt they had on hand.

Koeper said the price of road salt remains high this year -- the county paid about $82 per ton -- but it's lower than in some years past. Demand also remains high, with multiple snowstorms burying the northeastern part of the country. If the county decides to order more salt, Koeper said, it won't be available for a week or longer.

County crews were planning to plow roads until shortly after dark Wednesday and resume Thursday morning.

City of Cape Girardeau crews were out in full force Wednesday afternoon as the snow fell.

In a public works department brochure, the city explained its method for clearing roads with plows during winter weather.

The city is divided into seven zones, and each zone includes roads with a numbered priority, according to the brochure. Crews clear first-priority streets, which are major streets that carry the most traffic and emergency vehicles, then proceed to heavily traveled two-way streets, followed by all other city maintained streets in a zone that is residential and carries less traffic.

The city's policy, according to the brochure, "is to be sure priority 1 streets are clear before we can move on to priority 2. The thought behind this is that if we keep the heavier-traveled streets clear, more people will be able to get around. Sometimes the snow continues to fall heavily and as soon as crews get the 1st priority streets ran, they are forced to start clearing them again."

Some cities, including Cape Girardeau, use salt brine to treat roads before a winter storm. The city of Sikeston, Missouri, uses salt, according to a news release from public safety director James McMillen, and the city of Jackson drops cinders.

The worsening weather caused numerous schools and businesses to cancel classes or close early Wednesday.

City facilities in Cape Girardeau, including city hall, community centers and parks and recreation facilities closed at noon, according to an email from public information officer Nicolette Brennan. The Cape Girardeau Regional Airport remained open, though some flights were canceled. Trash pickup also continued.

Cape Girardeau County closed offices and canceled court Wednesday.

Southeast Missouri State University announced it would cancel classes Thursday and Friday.

Some school districts, including Jackson, by the middle of the afternoon Wednesday had called off classes for Thursday.

The National Weather Service forecast predicts cold temperatures will come to the area again Thursday night, with a low of 3 degrees in Cape Girardeau. The weather will gradually warm up this weekend, with a high of 42 degrees Saturday and 46 degrees Sunday in Cape Girardeau.

eragan@semissourian.com

388-3632