Farmington | 98.3 The Dove

Mid-Missouri linemen restoring power in snow, muddy conditions in southern Missouri

January 27, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

Some of the snow damage in southern Missouri’s West Plains area (January 26, 2023 photo courtesy of Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative in southern Missouri’s West Plains)

Eight linemen from Columbia-based Boone Electric Cooperative are making significant progress, as they continue to restore power this (Friday) morning in storm-damaged southeast Missouri.

Towns like Fredericktown, which is south of Farmington, received about ten inches of snow on Wednesday. That heavy, wet snow caused trees to fall into lines, knocking power out. At one time, about 14,000 customers of Fredericktown-based Black River Electric Cooperative were without power. That number is now down to 2,600 as of 8:45 this morning, thanks to the work of Boone Electric and other cooperatives doing mutual aid.

Utility crews from Linn and Tipton-based rural electric cooperatives are also assisting in power restoration in southern Missouri. They, like Boone Electric crews, have been working in snow and mud. Crews from Tipton-based Co-Mo Electric are working in the West Plains area, where about 4,700 customers of Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative are still without power. That’s down from 11,000 on Wednesday.

The linemen have been working day and night to restore power.

Boone Electric crews are working to restore power in snow-impacted southeast Missouri

January 26, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

A crew member from White River Valley Electric Cooperative works to restore power in southeast Missouri’s Fredericktown on January 25, 2023 (photo courtesy of Boone Electric Cooperative)

Linemen from at least three mid-Missouri rural electric cooperatives are in southern Missouri this (Thursday) morning, helping to restore power in areas that saw about ten inches of snow.

Heavy, wet snow across south Missouri caused trees to fall into lines, knocking power out to thousands of people.

Columbia-based Boone Electric Cooperative has eight linemen and four trucks in hard-hit Fredericktown, which is south of Farmington. They’re assisting the Black River Electric Cooperative, which still has about 8,700 members members without power. Linn-based Three Rivers Electric Cooperative and Tipton-based Co-Mo Connect Electric Cooperative also have crews in southern Missouri.

The Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives’ outage map indicates there are still eight southern Missouri counties that have at least 1,000 power outages of rural cooperative members. That doesn’t included residents on utilities like Ameren Missouri.

Mid-Missouri’s winter weather advisory begins tonight at 9

January 24, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

Here are the updated snow projections from the National Weather Service (NWS) in St. Louis (January 24, 2023 graphic courtesy of NWS St. Louis Twitter)

Columbia, Jefferson City and much of the 939 the Eagle listening area should see several inches of snow by tomorrow (Wednesday).

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a winter weather advisory for the entire listening area, which takes effect tonight at 9. NWS St. Louis meteorologist Mark Britt expects snow to begin falling this evening.

“Main part of the snow will be late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. And we are looking at about two to five inches of snow,” Britt says.

NWS St. Louis meteorologist Ben Herzog tells 939 the Eagle that Columbia is expected to receive two to five inches of snow by tomorrow, while Jefferson City is projected to see three to six inches. Snow should begin falling in mid-Missouri tonight at 9.

A heavier band of snow is expected along the I-70 corridor east of Columbia. Fulton, New Florence and Warrenton could see six inches of snow. Southern Missouri’s Farmington and Lebanon could see nine inches.

The National Weather Service is urging you to prepare your vehicle today ahead of the heavy, wet snow moving into mid-Missouri tonight.

“Anytime during winter (you) want to have more than a half-tank of gas in your car. You want to make sure that you have a winter preparedness kit in your car, say a blanket,” says Britt.

You’re also urged to have gloves and water with you in your vehicle, and to make sure your cell phone is fully charged.

Keep fresh batteries for your radio and keep it tuned to 939 the Eagle for updated winter weather information, including road conditions.

UPDATE: Projected snow totals have increased for parts of mid-Missouri

January 23, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

The National Weather Service (NWS) in St. Louis has updated its snow projections for tomorrow night into Wednesday morning (January 23, 2023 graphic courtesy of NWS St. Louis Twitter)

The National Weather Service (NWS) says Columbia and Jefferson City are now expected to receive anywhere from two to five inches of snow starting Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning.

NWS St. Louis meteorologist Kevin Dietsch tells 939 the Eagle that the heaviest snowfall will be to our east and in southeast and southern Missouri. The Farmington and Lebanon areas are expected to see five to eight inches of snow.

The NWS models will likely change by tomorrow night, and we’ll have a better timeframe of when the snow will start as well. Keep your radio tuned to 939 the Eagle for updated forecast information.

Missouri Congressman Smith: no decision yet on U.S. Senate race

December 3, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

A southeast Missouri congressman is in line to chair the powerful House Budget Committee, if Republicans take control of the chamber after the 2022 elections. U.S. Rep. Jason Smith (R-Salem) tells “Wake Up Columbia” that he hasn’t made a decision yet on whether he’ll run for re-election, or if he’ll seek the GOP Senate nomination. …