Residents across eastern and central Missouri as well as portions of west central and southwest Illinois should brace for a snowy start to December. The National Weather Service in St. Louis issued warnings about accumulating snowfall expected to begin late Monday morning and continue through to the evening. Specifically, "snow likely, mainly after 5pm," according to the NWS weather forecast, with a high of 30 degrees forecasted and a 60% chance of precipitation today. Tonight, snow is predicted to be a near certainty at 90%, with new accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
While today's travel might prove to be challenging, the outlook for the rest of the week appears to improve only slightly. Tomorrow brings a partly sunny sky with a high near 31, and similar mild conditions are expected to persist through to Sunday. However, following the snowy conditions, commuters might want to prepare to carefully negotiate the roads.
A Winter Weather Advisory is in place for parts of the region, specifically targeting northeast Missouri and West Central Illinois. Residents in these areas should exercise caution, especially during the late morning and evening hours when snowfall is expected to be heaviest.
Looking ahead, the National Weather Service does not anticipate further hazardous conditions for the region in the immediate future beyond today's forecasted snow. "No hazardous weather is expected at this time," their Outlook states, providing a sense of reassurance for those eager to put the wintry mix behind them. The coming weekend should present partly sunny days, with highs around 40 degrees on Saturday before increasing cloud cover on Sunday.
For safety and preparedness, the National Weather Service does not expect spotter activation at this time. However, residents should remain vigilant and stay updated on the weather conditions as they travel on the wintery roads this week.
