Live updates: Snow to end in southwest Illinois but look for low temps near zero

As the snowfall ends Thursday evening with storm totals ranging from 5 to 11 inches in the metro-east, some cold temperatures and high winds will be sticking around for a while.

Wind speeds will be about 10 to 15 mph but there will be gusts of up to 30 mph Thursday night in the metro-east, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Britt.

And look for a low of around 10 on Friday morning and near zero on Saturday morning.

“Temperatures are really going to be the main story,” Britt said.

Three more troopers struck by vehicles

5:37 p.m. On Wednesday, three Illinois State Police troopers were struck by vehicles during the winter storm and on Thursday, three more squad cars were hit.

No injuries were reported in the crashes on Thursday.

Two of the collisions occurred on Interstate 74 and one was on Interstate 80, according to a news release.

Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly urged motorists to slow down during snowstorms and be aware of troopers working on the highways.

“When approaching an emergency vehicle, or any vehicle with their emergency or hazard lights activated, drivers are required to slow down and move over,” the news release stated.

Train service resumes for four MetroLink stations

5 p.m. MetroLink service in St. Clair County has been restored to the Memorial Hospital, Swansea, Belleville and College Stations. “The Shiloh-Scott Station is the only station at this time where MetroLink riders are still being transported by bus shuttles (instead of trains between the College Station and Shiloh-Scott Station),” stated a news release.

These grocery stores are closing early

1:32 p.m. Aldi, Dierbergs and Schnucks are all adjusting their hours Thursday because of the snow.

All Illinois Aldi locations are closed on Thursday, including locations in: Alton, Cahokia, Centralia, Fairview Heights, Granite City, O’Fallon, Sparta, Swansea and Wood River.

Aldi has not yet responded to the BND to say when stores will reopen.

Dierbergs in the St. Louis metro will close at 5:30 p.m., including the Illinois locations in Edwardsville and Shiloh. Normal hours are supposed to resume Friday.

Schnucks is closing stores at 4:30 p.m., including Illinois locations in: Alton, Belleville, Bethalto, Cahokia, Centralia, Collinsville, Columbia, Edwardsville, Fairview Heights, Godfrey, Granite City, O’Fallon, Swansea, Waterloo and Wood River. Stores will reopen at their normal times on Friday.

Illinois MetroLink stations open up

12 p.m. MetroLink is now serving the JJK Center, Washington Park and Fairview Heights stations in Illinois. Red Line service is currently operating from Lambert Airport to Fairview Heights Station, and Blue Line service is operating from Shrewsbury to Emerson Park Stations.

The forecast is holding steady

11:45 a.m. Nothing has changed with the forecast, according to Mark Fuchs, a senior service hydrologist with the National Weather Service in St. Louis. The snow is expected to diminish this afternoon from northwest to southeast — regionally, Belleville will be seeing the snow end later.

Here’s where the level of snowfall was at around the metro-east early this morning:

• Belleville, 3.5 inches

• Granite City, 5.4 inches

• Maryville, 5 inches

• Staunton, 4 inches

The current levels are higher, but the National Weather Service doesn’t have more recent measurements in the area.

“All of these places have certainly had snow in the last six hours,” Fuchs said.

The most recent spring flood outlook from a few days ago showed a below average chance of the Mississippi River flooding through April, Fuchs said. He added that the ice and snow may have changed things a little bit, and the next spring flood outlook comes out late next week.

“The key thing is not how deep the snow is but how much water is actually in that pack of snow,” he said.

What does it take to plow Belleville?

9:45 a.m. Belleville has approximately 560 lane miles of roadways, Director of Public Works Jason Poole wrote in a Facebook post asking people to be patient while plow trucks work on the roads.

Currently, Belleville has eight plow trucks working on roads and two working on fire department, police department and other essential city parking lots. Staff have worked 12-hour shifts since the start of the storm on Wednesday.

St. Louis area malls close

9:18 a.m. Five St. Louis area malls are closed Thursday due to inclement weather. St. Clair Square, West County Center, Mid Rivers Mall and South County Center said they plan to reopen on Friday at 10 a.m. in a joint press release.

Saint Louis Galleria’s website says they are closed Thursday and are scheduled to reopen at 10 a.m. on Friday.

Illinois State Police asks you to stay home

8:05 a.m. Illinois State Police Troopers in District 11 have handled 29 crashes since 7 a.m. on Wednesday, Public Information Officer Josh Korando said in an email at 8 a.m.

Only one of those was listed as an injury crash, and Korando said injuries were minor.

Drivers can check road conditions at gettingaroundillinois.com.

Snow forecasts

7:46 a.m. Here are the latest forecasts for possible snow accumulations Thursday in a sampling of southwestern Illinois towns, according to the National Weather Service:

Belleville: 3 to 7 inches

Breese: 3 to 7 inches

Collinsville: 3 to 5 inches

East St. Louis: 3 to 5 inches

Edwardsville: 3 to 5 inches

Granite City: 3 to 5 inches

Highland: 3 to 5 inches

Marissa: 3 to 7 inches

Mascoutah: 4 to 6 inches

Millstadt: 3 to 7 inches

O’Fallon: 2 to 4 inches

Waterloo: 3 to 7 inches

MetroLink closures

6:12 a.m. MetroLink is currently unable to provide service between the Emerson Park and Shiloh-Scott Stations in Illinois due to ice accumulation on the overhead catenary wires. MetroLink Station Shuttles are transporting passengers by bus between these stations. Passengers traveling through this area should expect delays of up to 60 minutes.

Crews completed repairs overnight and MetroLink has resumed operation between Lambert Airport and UMSL South Stations on a single track. Bus shuttles are no longer needed in this area as service has been restored.

MetroLink riders may experience 15 to 30 minute delays until 6 a.m.

Rush hour

5:50 a.m. Both the Illinois and Missouri departments of transportation urge morning commuters to stay at home if at all possible. In the meantime, those who do have make the drive to work this morning should give themselves extra time.

All bridges into downtown are showing delays in the westbound lanes, according to traffic map on KSDK. I-255 is slowed all the way from the J.B. Bridge north past Edwardsville. Interstate-64 is significantly delayed from the riverfront into Clinton County.

If you’re traveling north on I-55/70 at Illinois 203, be alert for a lane blockage due to an accident.

MetroLink announces changes

5:42 a.m. MetroLink riders will see temporary changes Thursday morning.

“MetroLink service will be provided with single light rail cars,” Metro said in a news release. “A MetroLink train is normally two cars coupled. MetroLink riders should be prepared to board and exit the light rail car through the center doors only. To accommodate this change, MetroLink operators will allow extra time for passengers to enter and exit the single light rail cars.”

MetroLink riders should expect 15 to 30 minute delays until 6 a.m. Thursday and after that, 5 minute delays through the end of the morning rush hour.

Snow could fall an inch per hour

5:30 a.m. Mark Britt, a meteorologist with The National Weather Service in St. Louis, said the morning commute could be “very treacherous” on Thursday because the heaviest snowfall is expected to occur in the metro-east from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m.

During this time, the snowfall could reach an inch per hour, he said. The snow is expected to taper off in the afternoon with a total of new snow ranging from 6 to 9 inches in Belleville.

If you have to drive in the morning, he recommends you give yourself plenty of time to make it to your destination.

The winter storm warning is scheduled to end at noon Thursday.

School closures continue

3:26 p.m. The BND has posted a list of area schools that have already adjusted schedules for Thursday and Friday due to the winter storm. Check back at bnd.com for updates on the list.

Warming shelters

6:11 P.M. Unhoused people who need a place to get out of the winter storm overnight can go to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s “drop-in center” in East St. Louis at 7 p.m. every day.

The Overnight Warming Center in Alton opens its doors at 5 p.m. It’s located at Deliverance Temple Church at 1125 E 6th St. in Alton, and the doors are on the Cherry St. side.

The drop-in center is next to St. Vincent de Paul’s outreach ministry center at 3718 State St. The drop-in center operates from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. During the day, those who need cover and warmth can go to the outreach center.

The Salvation Army at 20 Glory Place off West Main Street in Belleville and at 616 N 16th St. in East St. Louis offers places you can warm up during the day. Call 618-235-7378 for more information about hours.

This story was originally published February 3, 2022 at 5:43 AM.