County Gets Small Taste Of ‘Blair’

Predictions for a second winter blast were spot on, and this time Ripley County got swept up in it. Thankfully, however, its affects were nothing like Blair, which hit on Sunday, Jan. 5 and was felt as nearby as Wayne County.

Blair, which produced a hazardous two-day wintery mix across the Midwest, continued to create havoc for several days with traffic accidents, six fatalities, stranded motorists, and power outages across several states, prompting state of emergency declarations.

Missouri State Highway Patrol reported Jan. 5 responding to 2,084 weather related calls. A breakdown of those reports included 356 accidents, 31 injuries and one fatality.

While an estimated 60 million remained under a weather advisory during Blair, Ripley County merely experienced chilling rainfall with temperatures which hovered just above freezing.

By comparison Friday’s quiet blizzard proved to be only a small taste of Blair.

Snowfall began in the early morning hours Friday, and continued until midday, accompanied by freezing temperatures which persisted into the night.

Saturday brought warmer temperatures which rose to about 38 degrees in some areas, warm enough to cause the main roadways to be clear for Sunday morning worshippers.

However, tree shrouded lanes in and around Ripley County remained icy and hazardous on Monday, and students got another free pass from school.