Blizzard warning ends; mid-Missouri schools cancel classes
Columbia Public Schools is the largest among more than two dozen area districts that have canceled Monday classes as blizzard-like conditions gripped central Missouri.
A full list of closings is available here.
Snow was falling hard in the area by Sunday evening, pushed by heavy wind gusts and reducing visibility. A blizzard warning had been in effect, but was canceled in many counties at about 10 p.m. and replaced with a winter weather advisory lasting until 6 a.m. Monday. It remained in effect in Audrain County until 6 a.m.
“Winter storm is beginning to wind down,” according to the text of the advisory.
Authorities had warned about travel hazards, including the Missouri State Highway Patrol tweeting that Interstate 70 was impassable west of Marshall.
#I70ALERT: Stay at home. pic.twitter.com/zV7qqeT3Jg
— MSHP Troop F (@MSHPTrooperF) November 26, 2018
Boonville, Centralia, Hallsville, Marshall, Fayette and Moberly were among the districts that had also called off Monday classes by 7 p.m. Sunday.
The Missouri Department of Transportation’s traveler information map showed state roads around central Missouri were either covered or partly covered by snow, with the impact lessening to the south and east. Temperatures had dropped below freezing and were expected to continue a quick descent to the low 20s with high winds pushing the wind chill even lower.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said it responded to more than 100 weather-related calls including 50 slide-offs between 3 and 8:30 p.m.
Troop F Update: 3pm-8:30pm
✔️113 weather-related calls for service
✔️25 crashes
✔️50 slide-offs
One reported injury. No fatalities. #MOwx #MidMOwx pic.twitter.com/lwqWzpTAqH
— MSHP Troop F (@MSHPTrooperF) November 26, 2018
