Friday Snowstorm Warning: Prepare for Travel Disruptions and Accumulating Snow

WPSD Local 6 has issued a Weather Authority Alert for Friday, anticipating that accumulating snow will lead to travel disruptions across nearly the entirety of our region.

WHEN: Snow is anticipated to enter from the west between midnight and dawn on Friday morning. The most substantial snowfall will occur on Friday morning and afternoon, diminishing from west to east by Friday evening. 

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WHAT: The accumulation of snow, which will be heavy at intervals, is anticipated to result in significant travel disruptions during both the morning and evening commutes this Friday. Prepare for snow-laden roads to become slippery early Friday morning, with conditions degrading throughout the day. Slippery roads, particularly on secondary routes, will continue into the weekend. Due to our recent frigid temperatures, snow will accumulate rapidly on all surfaces. Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing throughout this event. 

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WHERE: A Winter Storm Alert is presently enforced from late Thursday evening through Friday evening across a significant portion of Western Kentucky (excluding counties adjacent to the Ohio River), all of Northwest Tennessee, and the Missouri Bootheel.  Locations under the alert are anticipated to accumulate as much as 3-5″ of snowfall.  Reduced totals are predicted for regions north of the alert. Snow accumulations of 1-3″ are expected throughout much of Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri, with up to 2-4″ for areas found along the Ohio River in Kentucky.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Ahead of this occurrence, we are expecting significant cold on Thursday morning. Low temperatures may plummet well into the single digits in certain areas of Southern Illinois that were severely impacted by Sunday’s ice storm. These temperatures pose a risk for individuals lacking power. As of Wednesday morning, there remain over 7,000 customers without electricity in Southern Illinois. 

It is likely that most of the observed area will be elevated to a Winter Storm Warning later today or tomorrow. Additionally, a Winter Weather Advisory is expected for regions anticipated to experience the lower snow accumulations. This forecast is highly reliable, though some minor alterations to snow amounts may still occur as we approach Friday. 

Ensure you download the WPSD Radar app and remain with the Weather Authority for the latest updates on this storm.