National Weather Service updates Southern Illinois forecast with more rain, less snow
A Winter Storm Warning issued for the St. Louis region Wednesday will remain in effect until 6 a.m. Thursday, but the National Weather Service says the metro-east won’t be getting more than a dusting of snow.
The agency’s warning includes Bond, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe and St. Clair counties.
In cities like Belleville and Cahokia, rain and sleet are expected to fall throughout the day. The high is near 33 degrees.
“St. Clair County is looking at maybe 2 inches (of snow), but that’s on the high side,” Matt Beitscher, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service said Wednesday.
North of that, Madison County is more likely to see 2 inches, especially in its far western part, Beitscher said. A snow and sleet mix is expected to fall into Thursday.
Monroe County will “struggle” to get 2 inches of snow, Beitscher said.
The forecast also called for “a light glaze” of ice for the metro-east, which Beitscher said means ice accumulations will be lower than one-tenth of an inch.
The National Weather Service said there was a 50 percent chance of snow on Thursday before 7 a.m. The high is predicted to be near 33 degrees.
The warning comes as an upgrade from a Winter Storm Watch that was issued Tuesday. A watch is advanced notice that the potential for severe winter weather exists in a specific area, but it does not mean there is a certainty. A warning means significant amounts of snow, sleet or ice are expected to occur.
Several school districts announced they would close early on Wednesday, including Belleville District 201, Bethalto CUSD 8, Bunker Hill CUSD 8, Collinsville CUSD 10, East Alton-Wood River District 14, Lindenwood University in Belleville and Roxana CUSD 1. A full list of school closings and early dismissals can be found at ksdk.com/closings.
On Tuesday, meteorologist Fred Glass called the forecast “dynamic,” saying it could change frequently.
Check back to bnd.com for more updates as the Winter Storm Warning continues.
This story was originally published February 5, 2020 at 12:12 PM.
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