Thursday’s snow had major impact on travel in New Madrid County

The area awoke to frigid temperatures Friday and some roadways were still slick after Thursday’s snowfall.

According to the National Weather Service, the temperature was under 10 degrees early Friday morning after a snow that dropped 4 inches in New Madrid and just under 2 inches in Sikeston.

Most of the area received 2-3 inches with more in southern counties.

This accident was one of many on Interstate 55 Thursday due to the snow-covered roadwaysAndy Wilkerson photo

This accident was one of many on Interstate 55 Thursday due to the snow-covered roadwaysAndy Wilkerson photo

Snowfall totals were highest across western Kentucky, where amounts ranged from 3 to 6 inches.

The snow came through after an upper level wave intensified as it moved into the Ohio Valley region. Temperatures had already fallen well below freezing ahead of it, due to a cold front sweeping through the region the day before.

Dry air in the low levels quickly saturated and snow rapidly developed during the early to mid-morning Thursday. Temperatures in the upper teens to lower 20s allowed snow ratios to be higher than normal, resulting in a dry, fluffy snow. These cold temperatures also allowed snow to quickly accumulate on all surfaces including area roads.

The snow seemed to have the most impact on roads in New Madrid County. Shortly after 8 a.m., nearly 25 semi-trailers were reported off the road along Interstate 55 in New Madrid County. The accidents forced the closure of Interstate 55 for a large part of the afternoon between mile marker 35 and 63 with the closure of other parts of the interstate for shorter times.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, there were 208 calls for service in the Troop E region Thursday with 65 stranded motorists. Of the 208 calls, there were 121 crashes but no fatalities.

While there were no fatalities, there were accidents with injuries.

The Patrol reported an accident at 9:07 a.m. when a vehicle driven by Brenda Estes, 62, of Sikeston and a semi-truck driven by Mihreteab Gebrehiwot, 37, of Dallas, Texas, slid on snow-covered southbound lanes of I-55. The vehicle driven by Estes struck the rear of the semi at the 47 mile marker.

Estes received serious injuries and was taken by ambulance to Saint Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

Just minutes later, at 9:10 a.m., at the same mile marker, four vehicles were involved in an accident.

The crash occurred when a semi-truck driven by Hershel Goans, 53, of Doniphan, slid on the snow-covered roadway and struck a semi driven by Calvin Gordon, 67, of Greenville, Tennessee. The impact caused a van driven by Alex Ross, 30, of Benton, Missouri, to strike the rear of Gordon’s truck and for a semi-truck driven by Shane Cook, 54, of Moundville, Alabama, to strike the van.

Goans received moderate injuries in the accident and was taken by ambulance to Saint Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

Later Thursday, at 4:23 p.m. on I-55 southbound at the 19.4 mile marker, a vehicle driven by Natalie Wade, 28, of Chicago, Illinois, began sliding and traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned.

Wade received moderate injuries along with her passengers, Kristen Washington, 27, of Chicago, and four juveniles, ages 2, 3, 3, 10. All were transported by private conveyance to the Pemiscot County Memorial Hospital in Caruthersville, Missouri.

Schools continued to be postponed Friday as snow that melted on side roads refroze, making a sheet of ice on many side roads and parking lots.

Temperatures will warm above freezing this weekend, but rain returns to the forecast late Saturday through early Sunday. A rumble of thunder is possible Saturday night, but no severe weather is expsected. Rainfall amounts are forecast to range between three-fourths of an inch and an inch for most areas.