By AP/St. Louis Public Radio
St. Louis – Winter hit hard in parts of Missouri on Tuesday with snow, strong winds and dropping temperatures.
Snowfall amounts in central and eastern Missouri ranged up to about 6 inches. Several accidents were reported, mostly fender-benders.
The St. Louis area received between three and five inches of snow, causing a slow
morning commute made worse by strong winds blowing snow back onto some roadways.
Missouri Department of Transportation crews worked through the night clearing the roads.
Kara Price, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Transportation, said temperatures are not as low as they were during January's storm, and that's making it easier to keep the roads clean.
"It's easier to melt the snow than when we had those extremely cold temperatures," Price said. "Those extreme cold temperatures make the salt ineffective, and that's why they apply other chemicals to make the salt work a bit better."
Price said commuters should allow themselves extra driving time and keep a safe distance away from other vehicles.
Most St. Louis area schools are closed.