Snow, ice and cold could cause issues for roads and water pipes in southwest Illinois
Well-below-freezing temperatures along with the possibility of ice and snow are in the forecast throughout the St. Louis region for the week to come.
The National Weather Service in St. Louis has issued a winter weather advisory until 6 a.m. Tuesday with ice and up to an inch of snow expected in the metro-east.
Meteorologist Matt Beitscher of the weather service said that a mixture of light freezing rain and snow could impact some portions of southwest Illinois Monday afternoon and into the early evening hours.
“It will be this afternoon and then continue the early evening hours. It will then taper off as the evening progresses and I would think by 10 or 11 p.m, it should mostly be out of the area,’’ Beitscher said. “There are also chances of precipitation on Wednesday and Thursday.
“Although it’s too early to tell, the weekend, right now, looks dry and cold.’’
Chances of precipitation is 70% Tuesday to go with a high of 24 and an overnight low of 17.
Temperatures are expected to range in the low 20s’ to teens Tuesday through Thursday with a chance of a wintry mix Tuesday night through Thursday night. Temperatures toward the weekend will plummet toward the weekend, with overnight lows below zero degrees and highs only in the low to mid teens by Friday.
A spokesman with the St. Clair County Highway Department said crews are prepared for the conditions with salt and saline and that the department has two shifts on standby.
The spokesman said that the department is prepared to go to work on roads for 24 hours a day if necessary.
With the falling temperatures, Illinois American Water has cautioned homeowners to keep an eye on their water pipes and meters:
- Be sure you know where your main water shut-off is located and label it for others.
- Protect your property by wrapping exposed pipes with insulation and eliminate sources of cold air near any water lines.
- Allow a small stream of water to run overnight to keep pipes from freezing. Collect this water for uses such as watering indoor plants or for pets. The cost of keeping a small stream of water running is very minimal compared to repairing the damage from burst water pipes.
- If your pipes do freeze, shut off water immediately at your main shut off. Do not attempt to thaw frozen pipes unless the water is shut off. To thaw pipes, warm the air around the pipe with a hair dryer, or space heater. Do not use kerosene heaters, a torch or an open flame and do not leave space heaters unattended.
- For more tips on preventing frozen pipes, please go to Illinoisamwater.com.
This story was originally published February 8, 2021 at 2:20 PM.
