Cape gets less snow than expected; sleet changeover delayed, areas to South got more

Although 6 inches was forecast, Cape Girardeau got 2 to 3 inches of snow overnight, according to the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky.

Lead forecaster Greg Meffert said the predicted 4 to 6 inches was difficult to pin down because of when the sleet changed to snow. "It's very tough to call when you have mixed precipitation. I don't think we did too bad given the variable situation with the freezing rain, sleet and snow we had to deal with everywhere," Meffert said.

He said closer to 4 inches of snow fell south of Cape Girardeau and closer to 2 1/2 to 3 inches north of town. Meffert said 2 inches fell near Perryville. To the south toward the Bootheel, some areas saw 6 to 7 inches of snow from just north of Poplar Bluff over to the Mississippi River, which "probably includes Sikeston."

The sun did come out this morning, but the temperature isn't forecast to make it past 20 today. Meffert said the sun could help roads where they've been scraped, but anything that's wet this evening will refreeze quickly.

Low temperatures tonight will be close to 10, Meffert said, falling to single digits outside of town. Tuesday will be a bit warmer, but still below freezing with highs closer to 30. "Then we'll gradually warm up," Meffert said.

Meffert said he's hoping this is the "last hurrah," as far as extreme cold and snow.