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Road conditions deteriorate as winter storm arrives

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The Pettis County Sheriff's Office is asking citizens to avoid travel unless it is absolutely necessary, it announced in a Nixle Alert on Saturday, Jan. 4.

Freezing rain and sleet developed dangerous travel conditions, which led to several accidents across the region.

At 6:22 p.m., the Sheriff's Office announced there were several motor vehicle accidents and slide offs along Highway 65 and Highway 52 West of Highway 65.

At 7:52 p.m., it announced the east and west bound lanes of Highway 50 have been shut down at Highway TT due to a motor vehicle accident.

At 8:44 p.m. it announced Highway HH west of Tanglenook RD was blocked due to semi trucks on the roadway. At 9:47 p.m., it announced Highway EE at Cedar Road is closed until further notice. due to the roadway being blocked. 

Ice arrived in Pettis County late Saturday as a Winter Storm Warning began. The warning runs until 3 a.m. Monday, Jan. 6.

According to a social media post from the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop A, personnel responded to 328 calls, including 135 crashes, between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday. 

The Missouri Department of Transportation issued a request for drivers to avoid traveling until at least Monday.

“Drivers need to avoid traveling until conditions improve sometime on Monday,” said MoDOT Chief Safety and Operations Officer Becky Allmeroth. “For the remainder of this weekend, travel should be limited to emergencies only. These difficult conditions will also delay response times for our crews and emergency response partners.”

According to the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill, snow, freezing rain and sleet are expected until 1 a.m. A mix is expected between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. before transitioning back to sleet at 4 a.m. Approximately a tenth of an inch of ice is possible. There could also be snow and sleet accumulation of less than one inch.

On Sunday, a mix of snow and sleet is expected. Precipitation is slated to change to snow only after 5 p.m.

A northeast wind of 21 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph, is also likely. Snow and sleet accumulation is expected to range from one to three inches. Another one to three three inches is expected into the night.

The Democrat invites the community to submit snow images here. Submissions received by noon Monday have the chance to be included in the Tuesday, Jan. 7 Democrat.



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