Icy mess is a warmup to Tuesday’s expected snowfall

Kansas Citians spent part of their Saturday scraping off the latest blast of what forecasters gently refer to as a “wintry mix.”

Now, those forecasters say, we should prepare for another wave of snow and ice on Tuesday.

Saturday’s headaches were caused by 1 to 2 inches of snow that fell in the early morning, covering a thin layer of ice left by freezing rain and drizzle six hours earlier. The result was a treacherous combination of slick pavement that troubled motorists and pedestrians alike.

The Missouri Highway Patrol closed eastbound Interstate 70 near Odessa, Mo., on Saturday after a tractor-trailer jackknifed into the median. Traffic was routed around the crash site for two hours.

Several other accidents also were reported in the metro area, including some on the Kansas side that caused headaches for early-morning travelers. Ambulance crews responded to a handful of calls from pedestrians who slipped on dangerous pavement.

Work crews from Kansas and Missouri spent most of Saturday scraping and salting the slippery roads, as did crews for dozens of cities in the metropolitan area. By noon, most interstates and main roadways were wet but passable.

Work on residential streets took longer, and several remained rutted with snow and ice well into the evening.

Colder temperatures after midnight brought the risk of re-freezing, authorities cautioned. And motorists also were expected to struggle overnight with dirty windshields, as passing vehicles splashed melting ice and snow onto cars and trucks.

Forecasters said the weekend storm might be a mere tune-up for larger storm to follow this week. Snow is expected Tuesday, with major accumulations possible.

This story was originally published February 1, 2014 at 8:08 AM with the headline "Icy mess is a warmup to Tuesday’s expected snowfall."