Snow, ice create dangerous road conditions, power outages

SIKESTON — Snow, ice and freezing temperatures that made their way into Southeast Missouri late Wednesday into Thursday created dangerous driving conditions and some power outages, forcing schools, businesses and government offices to close.

As of 8 a.m. Thursday, Troop E with the Missouri State Highway Patrol said it had received 102 calls for service on Wednesday, including 41 stranded motorists, 30 non-injury crashes and two injury crashes. No fatal accidents had been reported.

“All roadways in New Madrid County are covered and dangerous to travel on,” New Madrid County Sheriff Bud Cooper said Thursday morning via a Facebook post on the sheriff’s department’s official page. “Unless absolutely necessary, please limit travel and stay off the roadways. This weather will continue throughout the day making the roads continuously worse.”

National Weather Service

National Weather Service

According to the East Prairie Police Department, numerous accidents have been reported on Highway 60 between Essex and Morehouse. Road conditions are extremely slick there.

Portageville Police Department echoed the other agencies.

“The roadways are terrible; that is the only way to describe them,” Portageville PD said early Thursday. “Stay home if possible. The weather isn’t going to let up for the remainder of the day.”

National Weather Service

National Weather Service

Some residents have also experienced power outages. The City of New Madrid was without power for approximately three hours Thursday morning. Some SEMO Electric customers around Sikeston experienced a short power outage Wednesday night.

Locally, a winter storm warming remains in effect for Scott and Stoddard Counties until midnight Friday with heavy mixed precipitation is possible. Total snow and sleet accumulations of 2 to 7 inches and ice accumulations of one-tenth of an inch with locally higher amounts are possible. Wind gusts of 25 to 35 mph likely.

An ice storm warning remains in effect until 6 a.m. Friday for New Madrid and Mississippi Counties where significant icing is expected. Total snow and sleet accumulations of up to 2 inches and ice accumulations of three-tenths to three-quarters of an inch are possible with winds gusting as high as 35 mph.

With freezing temperatures along with the threat of power outages, several warming shelters are open for those in need. Area warming shelters include: HOPE Warming Center (former Fishermen’s Net building), 915 S. Kingshighway, in Sikeston; Community Building, 109 Main St., in Gideon; Big Prairie Jaycee Building, 400 S. Calvin Ave., in Matthews; Mill Street Community Building, 1199 Mill Street, in New Madrid; VFW Post 1183, 301 S. 4th St., in Lilbourn; First Church of God, 500 King Ave., in Portageville; and FEMA Building, East Walnut Street, in East Prairie (if there is a power outage; no pets).