Mid-Missouri prepares for coming winter storm

Cities and counties throughout Mid-Missouri are preparing for an winter storm expected to start Friday.

About 2 to 7 inches of snow is expected over the weekend, according to the latest forecasts. A winter storm watch has been issued for much of central and southeast Missouri from Friday afternoon into Sunday.

Jefferson City Public Works Operations Director Britt Smith said keeping streets clear during the coming storm might be “challenging for crews” because of the length of time the storm is expected to stretch out. However, the city is planning to have continuous coverage of the roads once the storm begins.

Smith said Jefferson City will have all 24 trucks running their routes, as well as workers rotating throughout the day.

Before the storm starts, the city is making sure the trucks are all fueled. Public works will continue with its normal duties until the weather requires its service, Smith said.

Columbia is doing the same.

According to Barry Dalton, the Community Relations Specialist for Columbia Public works, the crews are ready to go.

“You have to keep working the roads,” he said.

The crews will plan to keep going over the roads throughout the weekend as often as it takes to keep people safe.

Dalton said the engineers are very active when it comes to monitoring the roads throughout the storm.

Boone County and MoDot have similar plans.

MoDot said it plans to focus mainly on major routes such as highway and interstates. The Assistant Maintenance Engineer for the Central District of MoDot said it plans to have its full fleet of 225 trucks out at 6:30 a.m. Friday morning.

Bryan Boyce, the Boone County Road and Bridge Superintendent, said the department will be pre-treating its roads with salt.

He said many people may also see the trucks “coming through neighborhoods more than once or twice. Maybe even more than three times.”

ABC 17 Stormtrack meteorologists say a light rain/snow mix is possible as early as Friday afternoon before the precipitation changes into snow into the evening. The heaviest snow bands are expected overnight Friday into Saturday with the intensity decreasing Saturday morning.

Look for more on this developing story.