Snow, cold expected during True/False Film Fest

The True/False Film Fest draws thousands of people to Columbia each year.

Weather forecasters are predicting the crowds at the festival — which continues through Sunday — might have to deal with some bothersome weather.

The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather team is forecasting a possible 2 to 4 inches of snow overnight Saturday into Sunday morning. Columbia Public Works and Boone County Public Works are planning and preparing. Lows Saturday night will bottom out at about 20 degrees, which is where the high will likely end up Sunday, as well.

The city plans to hold an operations meeting Friday morning to discuss this weekend’s plans, said Columbia Public Works spokesman Barry Dalton.

“We are definitely monitoring what is expected to be a significant winter weather event this weekend,” Dalton said.

Boone County Public Works spokesman Greg Edington said county crews will begin working at midnight on Sunday through the morning hours if needed. He said day shift employees will report to work at 7 a.m. Sunday and other crews will be on-call.

Missouri Department of Transportation is planning for the expected weather conditions.

MODOT Central District Maintenance Engineer Jason Shafer said the extremely cold temperatures make snow removal more diffiuclt.

Shafer said temperatures that drop below 20 degrees Fahrenheit make road treatments less effective.

Jason Shafer, the Missouri Department of Transportation Central District

Last year more than 7,000 visitors from outside Boone County came to Columbia during the festival, according to a study by the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The study estimates about 16,000 people in total attended the festival and spent about $2.19 million dollars in Columbia.