Winter weather again hampers driving, closes more schools

SIKESTON - Southeast Missouri residents should be getting good at driving through winter weather.

Thursday's snowstorm blanketed the area, creating slick road conditions for drivers. However, none of the area sheriff's department reported any serious injuries from the accidents which kept law enforcement officers and highway patrol troopers busy throughout Thursday morning.

The storm did prevent some area school children from attending classes Thursday and closed some school doors again today. While Sikeston students along with those attending classes in the New Madrid County R-1 School District and East Prairie and Charleston school districts were in class today, school districts north of Sikeston, including Kelly, Oran and Kelso, along with districts west of Sikeston, such as Richland, Puxico and Bloomfield, were closed today.

Weather watchers point out the Thursday snowstorm is creating a trent. The region has seen fresh snow on four out of the last six Thursdays -- a trace on Jan. 2, then 2.5 inches on Jan. 16, a trace on Jan. 23, and a little more than two-tenths of an inch Thursday.

The winter weather isn't over yet either.

The U.S. Weather Service is calling for continued cold temperatures with a chance of snow on Saturday and Sunday in Southeast Missouri.