CHANCES OF ANOTHER ROUND OF WINTER WEATHER TONIGHT
Another round of winter weather spread across Southeast Missouri on Tuesday, further worsening road conditions across the area.
According to the National Weather Service in Paducah, sleet and freezing rain rapidly spread across Southeast Missouri Tuesday afternoon and evening, causing roads that had previously been cleared to ice over again.
Motorists are being urged to use extreme caution and slow down if they have to get on the roadways today.
According to a Hazardous Weather Outlook, light freezing rain is possible across portions of southeast Missouri, late tonight into early tomorrow morning. Minor ice accumulations may occur along areas close to Missouri’s southern border.
HIGHWAY PATROL RESPONDS TO NUMEROUS INCIDENTS DUE TO WINTER WEATHER
Emergency responders were busy Tuesday due to the winter weather.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, troopers in Troop E have received over 137 calls for service since Midnight Monday night.
This includes at least 57 stranded motorists, 59 crashes, and 5 crashes which included injuries.
Officials say that there have been no fatal crashes as a part of this winter storm.
According to Sergeant Clark Parrott with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, US Highway 67 was reopened Tuesday afternoon after being reduced so crews could respond to several tractor trailer slide offs in Northern Butler County and Southern Wayne County.
Both lanes of Interstate 155 were closed on the bridge connecting Missouri and Tennessee overnight Monday night and Tuesday morning due to crashes around the structure.
Southbound Interstate 55 in Pemiscot County was also closed for a period of time Tuesday morning because of a crash.
GEORGIA WOMAN BADLY INJURED IN STODDARD COUNTY WRECK
A Georgia woman was hurt Monday night in a Stoddard County wreck.
According to authorities, 72 year old Charlotte Burnfin, of McDonough, Georgia, was a passenger in a vehicle that overturned along westbound US Highway 60 near Route AH.
Burnfin received serious injuries in the crash and was transported to a Cape Girardeau hospital. No injuries were listed for the driver.
MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL URGES CITIZENS TO BE SAFE AROUND WATER DURING COLDER WEATHER
With temperatures below freezing this week, the Missouri State Highway Patrol is urging area residents to be safe around Missouri’s many lakes and rivers.
According to the Highway Patrol, most boaters wear more clothing this time of year, so the proper wearing of life jackets and using caution to avoid falling overboard is even more important.
Lifejacket use becomes even more important in cold water because hypothermia can quickly rob the body of the ability to perform the most basic tasks and drowning is always a concern.
If you wind up taking an unexpected plunge into cold water, it is vital to get out of the water and into dry clothes as soon as possible. If dry clothes are not an option, leave the wet ones on. Even wet clothes will offer some insulation and trap body heat.
A warm drink can be given to someone suffering from hypothermia as long as they are conscious. Hypothermia can be deadly even if you are wearing a lifejacket, so officials say it is important to never go boating alone in the winter.
