Springfield and Greene County residents woke to wintery weather and a slick mess on the roads Monday morning, which led to school closures and many working from home.
CU Transit canceled all city bus services on Monday due to the icy road conditions. Scheduled Access Express rides will be provided.
According to the National Weather Service, a mix of freezing drizzle, light sleet and light snow will come to an end later this morning. And the slick road conditions will linger after the precipitation ends. Ice amounts are less than a tenth of an inch, and snow and sleet amounts will remain around a dusting at best.
Wind chills in the single digits to low teens will occur this morning.
Another round of light winter precipitation — light sleet and snow — will occur later this morning through this evening for areas along and south of Interstate 44, according to the forecast. Around half an inch of accumulation is expected.
A winter weather advisory remains in effect until midnight.
The forecast calls for wind chills in the single digits and lower teens tonight and through Tuesday morning. Light winter precipitation is then possible on Tuesday and again late Wednesday into Thursday for areas south of Interstate 44.
Temps will remain at or below freezing until possibly Wednesday afternoon, when the highs at best might creep to 35. The highs Thursday and into the weekend will be in the 40s.
How bad are the roads?
Adam Humphrey, with the Greene County Highway Department, said crews have been out treating the roads since Sunday night.
“It’s slick out there, and the cold temperatures are going to make it tough to be able to do too much effectively,” he said, “Even over the next 24 hours or so. Tomorrow’s temperatures don’t look a lot better. So we think it’s going to remain slick in spots for sure for a little while.”
Humphrey encourages people to stay home if possible. If you must get out, drive slow and give yourself space between other vehicles, he said.
“It’s tough to stop on these slick roads,” he warned. “The ice just makes it difficult for everyone that’s trying to get around, especially on some of our hilly and curvy roads.”
Kristen Milam with the City of Springfield said Public Works called in additional plow crews this morning as they saw conditions were getting slicker. Those crews are concentrating on treating hills and bridges.
“Public Works expects about another (half) inch of snow to fall by 5 p.m.,” Milam said in an email. “Crews will continue to treat throughout the day and night.
“Pavement temps are warm enough that the salt is being effective on the roadways,” she wrote, “and the treatment is working to improve slick conditions.”
Parents of Springfield Public School students got the call early Monday morning that school would be canceled for the day. SPS notified parents around 3 p.m. that school is also canceled on Tuesday.
The crisis cold weather shelters for the community’s unsheltered population were open Sunday night. Of those — which are housed inside church buildings throughout Springfield and operated by volunteers — three made the decision to stay open throughout Monday so people could shelter in place.
Other warming shelters open on Monday include the Veterans Coming Home Center at 806 N. Jefferson Ave. This center is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through the week.
The Salvation Army’s Harbor House will be open as a warming shelter from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Harbor House is located at 636 N. Booneville Ave.
The overnight crisis cold weather shelters are open when the temperature is predicted to hit 32 degrees or colder. To sign up to stay at one of these shelters, go to Grace United Methodist Church at 5:30 p.m. Volunteers will be serving a free, hot dinner and will assist in signing people up to be transported to a shelter site.
Also closed on Monday
All Library branches are closed and the Mobile Library will not make its scheduled stops on Monday due to the weather.
Dickerson Park Zoo is closed on Monday.
The NAMI Hope Center at 819 N. Boonville is closed Monday.
