Snow brings crashes to the metro-east

Car crashes started early Sunday morning, as light snow fell on the metro-east for a day of wintry weather.

Many metro-east residents woke to find a light coating of snow on driveways, walkways and cars. The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory in effect for the St. Louis area throughout much of the day.

The Illinois State Police reported that a number of car crashes had already taken place before 10 a.m. Sunday, though specific numbers were not immediately available. The Madison County Sheriff’s Department said they were mostly handling minor crashes with no serious injuries as of midday, though the snow was accumulating faster in late morning.

As of midday Sunday, MetroLink was operating without delays. Metro reported delays on the No. 30 Soulard, No. 59 Dogtown and No.73 Carondelet bus routes. Madison County Transit reported buses on Routes 9 and 10 were being rerouted. At 4:30 p.m., however, the buses resumed their usual route.

Many areas of the region received between 1 and 2 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service. The high temperature under cloudy skies Sunday was 27.

The National Weather Service reminds drivers that it doesn’t take a lot of wintry precipitation to create dangerous driving conditions, especially on bridges, overpasses and untreated roads. Everyone is urged to go carefully and slowly, whether driving or walking on untreated parking lots and sidewalks.

Elsewhere in the country, snow stretched from east Tennessee up into Virginia as the East Coast prepared for another snowstorm. In Washington D.C., more than 200 plows were prepared to target bridges and overpasses, freeways and major routes. The Virginia Department of Transportation says it will begin staging nearly 2,500 trucks to treat and clear roads as the snow hits.

For much of the northeast United States, Valentine’s Day was the coldest on record, with people bundling up for the not-so-warm embrace of teeth-chattering temperatures. From New York and Boston to Providence, Rhode Island and Hartford, Connecticut, temperatures on Sunday morning dipped to as low as minus-40 on Mount Washington in New Hampshire. In Berlin, Conn., 400 households were left without power when an electric regulator froze.

The National Weather Service said the temperature in New York City’s Central Park fell to minus-1, a record low for the date. The last time it was below zero in Central Park was in January 1994.

Back in the St. Louis region, there is a slight chance of rain and snow between noon and 1 p.m. Monday, then a slight chance of rain after 1 p.m. The chance of precipitation is 20 percent. The Monday holiday will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 40 and a low around 32.

There is a 40 percent chance of rain and snow before 9 a.m. on Tuesday, then a slight chance of rain. It will be mostly cloudy Tuesday with a high near 45 and a low around 28. Winds could gust as high as 36 mph.

Click here for the detailed local forecast.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

This story was originally published February 14, 2016 at 7:56 AM with the headline "Snow brings crashes to the metro-east."