Agencies keeping watch for possible New Year’s weekend winter storm
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ.)
Missourians could experience snow and freezing rain as they ring in the New Year on Saturday.
However, agencies in both Jefferson City and Cole County are preparing for the storm. Cole County Public Works says they have their trucks fully loaded with salt and their staff is ready to take on the snow.
Bryan Boyce who works for Jefferson City Public Works says, "We'll probably come in the early morning and start putting a pre-treatment of salt down at about a hundred pounds per lane and mile, which will create that barrier and snow from bonding".
Boyce also tells ABC 17 his staff treats the New Year like any typical day and they are prepared to come in, jump on their plow and start snow removal if needed. Although their agency is in pretty good shape Boyce said COVID-19 did have an impact on his staff numbers.
"Were down a couple of employees but were.. we've made those adjustments with uh bringing in some uh people in other departments and public works," Boyce said.
Jefferson City also has its Public Works employees ready to go and prepared for a winter snowstorm and they say they're in pretty good shape for the weekend.
"We spent the day putting all the plows and spreaders on, they're all ready to go, we had a few maintenance items," Britt Smith with Jefferson City Public Works said.
A winter storm is expected to hit the region this weekend, bringing chances for snow and ice along with brutal winter cold, forecasters say. Temperatures are predicted to be below 15 degrees normal. It remained to be seen Wednesday how much winter precipitation could fall on Mid-Missouri, but preparations were underway for a potentially hazardous travel weekend.
The National Weather Service in St. Louis said in a tweet Wednesday that the storm system could track more to the north, meaning just rain for central and southern Missouri, or farther south, covering more of the state with winter precipitation. The forecast for Jefferson City and Columbia includes chances of rain, freezing rain and snow.
The Missouri Department of Public Safety also issued a warning about the potential for a winter storm this weekend, telling drivers to be safe while on the road.
If the snow does begin to fall this weekend it will not be the first time Missourians have celebrated the New Year in a snowstorm. Last year, an ice storm hit Randolph County that caused several accidents and left some Missourians stranded and without power.
Although agencies can't be sure what to expect this Saturday, they can only hope that their preparation now will help many Missourians later.
