University of Missouri, Columbia Public Schools closed Thursday
The University of Missouri will close its campus Thursday, making the decision as forecasts continued to show ice blanketing the region.
The university joined several public school districts and Moberly Area Community College in calling off Thursday classes as ice threatened to make roads and sidewalks slippery overnight.
WEATHER ALERT: Due to anticipated icy conditions developing overnight, #Mizzou will close at midnight until 12:01 a.m. Friday, Feb. 8. This includes @umsystem offices & MU campus, including classes. Only employees who are situationally critical should report to work. pic.twitter.com/UKJHrg4ma1
— Mizzou (@Mizzou) February 7, 2019
The campus closure begins at midnight.
“We have been monitoring multiple weather forecasts, which have shifted over the past two hours and continue to worsen,” Gary Ward, MU vice chancellor for operations, said in a news release Wednesday night. “Out of concern for the safety of our campus community, we have decided to close the campus on Thursday.”
The shuttle that serves the Brookside student apartment complexes tweeted that it would not be running Thursday because of icy conditions. ABC 17 News has asked MU’s News Bureau whether the shuttle service’s decision contributed to the MU campus closure. Spokesperson Christian Basi said the decision to cancel classes was based on the worsening forecast and ice being more dangerous than snow. Basi said MU is aware that a private shuttle that services apartment complexes is choosing not to run tomorrow.
The shuttle buses will not be running on Thursday, February 7th due to icy road conditions.
— Brookside at Mizzou (@BrooksideMizzou) February 7, 2019
Some critical employees will still have to report to work and MU Health Care hospitals and the Veterinary Health Center will operate as normal.
Columbia Public Schools notified parents of its plans at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Other districts that had already called off classes included Boonville, Moberly, Fayette, Southern Boone and Marshall. Get a complete list of closings here.
Mid-Missouri was under an ice storm warning until noon Thursday, with about a quarter-inch of ice accumulation expected. The ABC 17 Stormtrack weather team had issued a Weather Alert Day because of the threat of ice.
State highways in the region were either clear or mostly clear Wednesday evening, but rain and heavy winds were expected overnight. Rain overnight has the potential to wash off road treatment, as well.
State and local agencies said they were monitoring weather conditions.
Due to ice storm warnings in 44 counties across SW to NE Missouri, the State Emergency Operations Center is operating at a Level 3: Partial Activation. Learn more about the 4 @MoSEMA_ activation levels at https://t.co/PtahMq2lKq & follow your local forecast to stay up to date. pic.twitter.com/YLmo6OGLOs
— Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (@MoSEMA_) February 6, 2019
