Winter weather continues

Sleet pelts down on an employee at Ramey supermarket in West Plains as he gathers shopping carts in this photo snapped at about 4:30 p.m. Monday. The region received a substantial amount of winter precipitation, primarily as sleet, Monday afternoon through early Tuesday. Measurements reported to the National Weather Service office in Springfield range from a third of an inch in Douglas County to 1 inch in Oregon County, locally. A winter weather advisory was issued shortly after 10 a.m. Tuesday, set to expire at 6 p.m. the same day, cautioning that another mix of sleet and snow was expected to accumulated up to half an inch in Douglas, Howell, Ozark and Oregon counties, causing road conditions to remain hazardous. As of noon Tuesday, area highways continued to be partially or fully covered in ice, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation. Weather officials are monitoring the potential for freezing rain to develop this evening into Thursday morning; as of noon Tuesday, they estimate a 20% to 30% chance of precipitation developing, with highest chances occurring south of U.S. 60.