One-two punch of winter storms to hit metro-east this week. How much snow, ice on the way?
Just after remnants of January’s winter storm melted away after sticking around for weeks, the metro-east and greater St. Louis region have can look forward to two more rounds of winter weather this week.
The first system is expected to hit Belleville Monday night into Tuesday, Feb. 11, Mark Britt, meteorologist with the National Weather Service St. Louis office, said in a Monday interview with the News-Democrat.
Belleville is expected to receive less than half an inch of snow Monday night, but more will likely follow in a second round Wednesday, Feb. 12.
“Snow will be likely with that second storm, along with a mix of freezing rain and sleet,” Britt said.
The latest forecast says Wednesday’s wintry precipitation will probably include less than 1 inch of snow, but there’s also potential for freezing rain and a glaze of ice on the roads.
Even a little bit of snow can create potentially hazardous road conditions, so Britt recommends people keep up-to-date with the forecast, plan ahead to get errands done early if possible and avoid unnecessary travel Tuesday and Wednesday.
It’s also a good idea to allow extra time to reach your destination if you must be on the roads, and keep plenty of distance between cars, Britt said.
“Any accumulations will probably stay around into the late week,” Britt said.
Here’s Belleville’s forecast for the week, from the NWS:
Tuesday: 60% chance of precipitation with potential snow accumulation of less than half an inch. Temperatures ranging from 29 degrees Fahrenheit to 36 degrees.
Wednesday: 90% chance of precipitation, with possible new ice accumulation of less than a tenth of an inch, along with new snow and sleet accumulation of less than 1 inch possible. Temperatures ranging from 21 to 31 degrees.
Thursday, Feb. 13: Partly sunny during the day, with expected temperatures ranging from 15 to 29 degrees.
Friday, Feb. 14: Partly sunny during the day with a 60% chance of precipitation at night, with temperatures ranging from 34 to 38 degrees. As of Monday, Friday’s precipitation is expected to be rain.
Saturday, Feb. 15: Rain during the day and snow likely at night, with temperatures ranging from 23 to 46 degrees.
Sunday, Feb. 16: 20% chance of snow, with a high around 29 degrees.
Winter driving safety tips
If you can’t avoid being on the road under wintry weather conditions, here are some safety tips from the NWS:
Use your headlights. Bright snow does not guarantee visibility.
Make sure you have plenty of gas.
Leave plenty of distance between yourself and other vehicles. It takes much longer for your car to come to a complete stop on slick roads.
Drive slowly.
Avoid unnecessary trips.
Check road conditions before you leave.
You can check live road conditions from the Illinois Department of Transportation and Missouri Department of Transportation.
Illinois law doesn’t specifically say drivers must scrape ice off their windshields before driving, but does require them to be “unobstructed.”
St. Louis City was criticized about its snow and ice removal response to January’s storm, KSDK reported Monday, and city officials say they do not plan to plow residential roads this week.
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