A winter storm warning with “significant snow risk” will be in effect starting at 5 p.m. for Howell, Oregon, Shannon, Douglas and Ozark counties, said meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Springfield.
Issued shortly after 1 p.m. this afternoon, the warning will be in effect through 6 p.m. Friday, as the forecast now calls for between 5 and 7 inches of snow across the area.
The Little Rock, Ark., office of the NWS has also issued a warning of its own, affecting Baxter, Fulton Sharp, Randolph and Stone counties. That warning took effect at noon and also remains in place until 6 p.m. Friday, and the warned area is forecast to experience “heavy mixed precipitation,” with total snow accumulations between 3 and 9 inches. Western to north central Arkansas are expected to receive the most snow.
Travel could be difficult, both NWS offices warn, impacting the Thursday evening and Friday morning commutes, particularly along bridges and overpasses, which will likely become slick and dangerous.
Those who must travel should keep an extra flashlight, food and water in their vehicles in case of emergency, and call 1-888-275-6636 for current road conditions in Missouri, or use the Missouri Department of Transportation Travel Information Map at traveler.modot.org. In Arkansas, travelers may dial 511 for road conditions or visit idrivearkansas.com for current road conditions.
Further details given in a hazardous weather outlook issued by NWS-Springfield at 2 p.m. indicate snow will begin accumulating this afternoon over southwest Missouri and southeast Kansas before moving northeast into the warned area this evening and tonight.
“Snow will be heavy at times and will limit visibility to under a half-mile in the moderate to heavier bands of snow,” said meteorologists. The warned area spans along and south of the Interstate 44 corridor, while the area north of the interstate is under a winter weather advisory.
Snow is expected to continue into Friday morning, diminishing from west to east into the afternoon. The area south of I-44 is expected to get 5 to 7 inches of snow.
Cold temperatures are expected to remain in place into early next week with lows dipping into the teens Sunday night through Tuesday night, meteorologists added.
Editor's note: This article was updated at 5:27 p.m. Jan. 9 to include information about school closings and trash pickup updates and again at 8:25 p.m. and 6:58 a.m. Jan. 10 with further school closures.
