The latest information from the National Weather Service as of 3:30 p.m.:
A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY.
* SHORT TERM TRENDS...THE SECOND ROUND OF MODERATE TO HEAVY
SNOWFALL HAS NOW SPREAD OVER THE AREA. ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL RATES
OF UP TO ONE INCH AN HOUR IS OCCURRING WITHIN THIS ACTIVITY. AN
ADDITIONAL 2 TO 8 INCHES WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE AREA...WITH THE
HEAVIEST AMOUNTS EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL MISSOURI. SUSTAINED
WINDS OF 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 30 TO 35 MPH ARE ALSO
OCCURRING ACROSS THE REGION RESULTING IN BLOWING SNOW...REDUCING
THE VISIBILITIES AND CAUSING LARGE SNOW DRIFTS.
* TIMING AND AREAS AFFECTED...SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD TO THE
NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. THE
SNOW WILL THEN DIMINISH FROM THE SOUTHWEST TO THE NORTHEAST TO
FLURRIES THIS EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.
* SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS...STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS RANGING
FROM 12 TO 22 INCHES ARE EXPECTED FOR AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF
THE INTERSTATE 44 CORRIDOR. THE HEAVIEST SNOW TOTALS WILL BE
FROM A JOPLIN TO NEAR THE TRUMAN LAKE AND LAKE OF THE OZARKS
REGION. LESSER AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE.
* WINDS AND VISIBILITY...NORTH WINDS WILL BE SUSTAINED BETWEEN 20
AND 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS 30 TO 40 MPH AT TIMES. WHEN COMBINED
WITH HEAVY SNOW TODAY...VISIBILITIES WILL LIKELY DROP TO BELOW
ONE QUARTER OF A MILE AT TIMES. WHITEOUT CONDITIONS WILL BE
LIKELY AT TIMES DURING THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING.
* IMPACTS...ROAD CONDITIONS HAVE DETERIORATED ACROSS THE REGION.
THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION REPORTS THAT ROADS ARE
SNOW AND ICE COVERED AND TRAVEL IS VERY POOR AND DANGEROUS.
EMERGENCY RESPONDERS IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS REPORT HAVING GREAT
DIFFICULTY RESPONDING TO ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE TREACHEROUS ROAD
CONDITIONS AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES.
THE OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT REPORTS THAT ALL
HIGHWAYS...COUNTY ROADS...CITY STREETS AND INTERSTATE 44 ARE
IMPASSABLE AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS VEHICLES IN THE DITCHES AND OR
STUCK IN THE ROAD. AS A RESULT INTERSTATE 44 IN OKLAHOMA HAS BEEN
CLOSED AT THE MISSOURI BORDER.
THIS AMOUNT OF SNOW AND SLEET WILL CONTAIN GREAT WEIGHT AND
MAY LEAD OT ROOF COLLAPSES ESPECIALLY TO OUTBUILDINGS AND DOCKS
WITHIN THE HEAVY SNOW BAND WEST AND NORTH OF SPRINGFIELD INTO
THE LAKE OF THE OZARKS AREA.
THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS ISSUED A WINTER
TRAVEL ADVISORY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...WHICH THEY ADVISE
TO NOT DRIVE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TO...AND TO EXPECT DRIVING TO BE
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT ON SNOW COVERED ROADS WITH BLOWING SNOW
MAKING IT HARD TO SEE. POLICE AGENCIES ARE URGING PEOPLE NOT TO
TRAVEL UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY...ESPECIALLY OVERNIGHT INTO
WEDNESDAY MORNING. FOR THE TUESDAY AFTERNOON RUSH HOUR THEY
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LEAVE WORK EARLY IF YOU CAN...WHICH WILL
GIVE YOU MORE TIME DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS TO GET HOME.
BITTERLY COLD TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR FROM TONIGHT THROUGH
FRIDAY MORNING. THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR EARLY
THURSDAY MORNING...AS READINGS ARE FORECASTED TO DROP BELOW ZERO
OVER THE ENTIRE REGION. WIND CHILL READINGS IN THE TEENS BELOW
ZERO TO 20 BELOW ZERO ARE EXPECTED DURING THE OVERNIGHT AND
EARLY MORNING HOURS.
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