ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Despite our spring-like temperatures Tuesday, winter weather is on the way.
MoDOT is gearing up for at least a few days of plowing and treating area roadways. If you wake up Wednesday morning and it doesn’t look too bad, hang on, there is more winter weather coming, and it could be treacherous.
MoDOT District Maintenance Engineer Bob Becker said this is going to be a big, long event and there will be a lot going on over the next few days. Becker says it’s “all hands on deck” for MoDOT, and everybody who is available for treating and plowing will be doing so to try to keep the roads safe. They expect this will be a rain event at the beginning but will transition to frozen precipitation.
MoDOT crews will be ready for that first wave, Wednesday morning.
“Give yourselves some extra time,” said Becker. “We want people to be careful, Wednesday morning, because any time a storm comes in about rush hour can cause us a lot of problems. If you have that opportunity to work from home, that would be great. That would be helpful.”
MoDOT officials said they will have 1,500 employees statewide this week despite the fact that the agency is several hundred people short due to turnover and illness.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Corporal Dallas Thompson urged caution on the roadways.
“Look at the timeline when this is going to be coming and how it might affect your day,” said Thompson. “If it comes in throughout the night, be sure to get up early. Adjust your travel if necessary. Give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination. If you have the ability to work from home, that might be a perfect option for you.”
National Weather Service-St. Louis meteorologist Kevin Deitsch said this weather system has the potential to be like that January 2019 weather event, which left people stranded on the roads. Officials are urging people to stay off the roads if possible and pack an emergency bag if you have to go out. That emergency bag should include necessary medications, a phone charger, a blanket, water, nonperishable food and a flashlight.