Mid-Missouri schools call off Wednesday classes as snow and ice cling to roads

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Some Mid-Missouri school districts had called off Wednesday classes by the middle of Tuesday afternoon as snow and ice continued to cling to area roads.

Columbia Public Schools was among the districts that decided before 3 p.m. along with Moberly Public Schools and other, smaller districts in more rural areas. The Jefferson City School District added its name to the list around 6 p.m.

LINK: Full list of area closures.

Both CPS and Moberly ask that students take part in "alternative methods of instruction," which means students should spend a short time reviewing materials from teachers.

CPS says in an email that many secondary streets in Columbia are inaccessible by bus.

"With low temperatures and refreeze there won’t be much improvement in conditions by Wednesday morning," CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark wrote in an email. "Overnight refreeze on roads and sidewalks presents safety hazards. Safety is our top priority."

The storm that hit Mid-Missouri over the weekend has now closed some districts for three straight days. Varying amounts of snow and ice fell over Mid-Missouri, with 5.6 inches measured at the Columbia airport between Saturday and Monday morning.

Frigid temperatures have made snow removal difficult. Snow and ice still covered some residential areas in Columbia as of Tuesday afternoon, including roads where schools are located.

The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Team has called a Weather Alert Day through Thursday morning for the extreme cold. Lows are expected to bottom out near 0 degrees each morning.