Ice, sleet follow recent snowstorm
Times photo/Bruce Roberts Log truck rollover Black ice Monday morning was said to be the cause of this log truck rollover just south of the Missouri/Arkansas line on Highway 5. The crash closed the highway for much of the day Monday while crews worked to remove the wreckage and the logs from the roadway. The driver of the truck, Timothy Willenburg, was not seriously injured in the crash.
A White River Valley Electric Cooperative employee works to restore power to customers during last week’s snowstorm. WRVEC had more than 3,000 customers without power but all were restored within about a 24-hour period. There were more than 600 Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative customers who were without power for more than three days in the Bakersfield area. WRVEC photo
Photo by Bakersfield Volunteer Fire Department Bakersfield students and other volunteers distribute drinking water Friday to people who had been without electricity for more than three days following a snowstorm.
If you’re hoping for an early spring, you’re not alone.
Ozark County was hit with two winter storms in the last week, the first of which dumped up to 10 inches of snow in some parts of the county and knocked out power to thousands.
Then, on Monday, freezing drizzle in the wee hours of the morning slickened some area roads, causing accidents and a few slide-offs, including one crash where a truck hauling cedar logs overturned just south of the state line on Arkansas Highway 5, closing the highway for much of the day on Monday.
The driver of the truck, Timothy Willenburg, was not seriously injured in the crash that took several hours for authorities to clean up and remove the overturned truck, which was blocking both lanes of Highway 5.
“I hit apparently some black ice on that curve and there wasn’t anything I could do at that point except hang on and go on a wild ride,” Willenburg told a Times reporter on the scene of the crash.
Main highways in Ozark County were mostly clear and in pretty good shape on Monday morning, but by just after lunchtime, a heavy band of sleet and freezing rain was pummeling the county and causing deteriorating road conditions areawide.
Ozark Countians were bracing for the storm and the potential of power outages. Some county residents had just had their power turned back on after the heavy, wet snow last week knocked out power to some residents for more than four days.
White River Valley Electric Cooperative, who provides electricity to about 83 percent of Ozark County, said that at the peak of last week’s snowstorm, they had more than 3,000 customers without power.
WRVEC said most of those who lost power had their service restored within 24 hours.
“A shoutout to our lineman who worked hard in the cold to get the lights back on,” a WRVEC spokesperson said. “And thanks to our awesome members for bearing with us on a challenging day. We are thankful and blessed to have such a great team and community.”
On the east side of the county, many Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative customers lost power, some for more than three days.
A HOEC social media post noted that all of their 15,000 customers who had lost power in last week’s snowstorm was restored by Sunday.
Utility companies were bracing for this week’s storm, hoping for sleet instead of freezing rain which weighs heavier on limbs and power lines.
Several HOEC customers in the Bakersfield area were without power for 3-4 days, prompting A Convoy of Hope response team to deliver drinking water to the community.
According to Zaylor Watts, with the Bakersfield Volunteer Fire Department, a truck brought dozens of cases of drinking water to the Bakersfield community on Friday and several Bakersfield students helped unload and distribute the water to those who were in need, along with BVFD, Ozark County Sheriff’s Department and Ozark County Emergency management.
Watts said they distributed three large pallets of drinking water.
She said there were 620 HOEC customers who were without power for four days, and more than 3,000 in Howell County without power for 3-4 days.
“All of V Highway was still without power on Friday, so we drove the highway distributing drinking water,” Watts said.
She said Bakersfield School opened up its FEMA building as a shelter during the storm.
“I know there were a few students who came and used the showers before school on Friday,” Watts said.
She said late Monday afternoon that the roads around Bakersfield were white with sleet and freezing rain.
“It’s a mess out there,” she said. “There have been some slide-offs, but no serious wrecks. We hope it stays that way and we can warm up and be done with winter for a while.”
Ozark County Sheriff Cass Martin said late Monday that the roads “are a mess.”
“The roads are horrible,” the sheriff said. “M3gan is early released to Amazon Prime. Stay home and watch it. Sheriff gives it five stars and any other show that keeps people inside their homes and off the roads,” Martin joked.
“Seriously,” the sheriff said. “If you must be out, use caution. If you don’t have to travel, please reconsider.”
Western District County Commissioner Layne Nance said Monday that last week’s snowstorm was pretty easy to clear off county roads. “It was a pretty good snow to clear, if there is such a thing,” Nance said.
He said the wet snow was easy to blade and push for road graders. “We actually got some calls commending us for how well we did blading the roads,” Nance said.
Commissioners met Monday and discussed briefly this week’s winter weather.
“Hopefully we don’t see all the power outages like we did last week,” said Presiding County Commissioner Terry Newton.
All five Ozark County schools were closed on Monday.
A warmup is in store for the weekend, with temperatures expected to soar into the mid 50s by Saturday.
Monday morning, but by just after lunchtime a heavy band of sleet and freezing rain was pummeling the county and causing deteriorating road conditions areawide.
Ozark Countians were bracing for the storm and the potential of power outages. Some county residents had just had their power turned back on after the heavy, wet snow last week knocked out power to some residents for more than four days.
White River Valley Electric Cooperative, who provides electricity to about 83 percent of Ozark County, said that at the peak of last week’s snowstorm, they had more than 3,000 customers without power.
WRVEC said most of those who lost power had their service restored within 24 hours.
“A shoutout to our lineman who worked hard in the cold to get the lights back on,” a WRVEC spokesperson said. “And thanks to our awesome members for bearing with us on a challenging day. We are thankful and blessed to have such a great team and community.”
On the east side of the county, many Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative customers lost power, some for more than three days.
A HOEC social media post noted that all of their 15,000 customers who had lost power in last week’s snowstorm were restored by Sunday.
Utility companies were bracing for this week’s storm, hoping for sleet instead of freezing rain which weighs heavier on limbs and power lines.
Several HOEC customers in the Bakersfield area were without power for 3 to 4 days, prompting a Convoy of Hope response team to deliver drinking water to the community.
According to Zaylor Watts with the Bakersfield Volunteer Fire Department, a truck brought dozens of cases of drinking water to the Bakersfield community on Friday and several Bakersfield students helped unload and distribute the water to those who were in need, along with BVFD, Ozark County Sheriff’s Department and Ozark County Emergency management.
Watts said they distributed three large pallets of drinking water.
She said there were 620 HOEC customers who were without power for four days, and more than 3,000 in Howell County without power for 3 to 4 days.
“All of V Highway was still without power on Friday, so we drove the highway distributing drinking water,” Watts said.
She said Bakersfield School opened up its FEMA building as a shelter during the storm.
“I know there were a few students who came and used the showers before school on Friday,” Watts said.
She said late Monday afternoon that the roads around Bakersfield were white with sleet and freezing rain.
“It’s a mess out there,” she said. “There have been some slide-offs but no serious wrecks. We hope it stays that way and we can warm up and be done with winter for a while.”
Ozark County Sheriff Cass Martin said late Monday that the roads “are a mess.”
“The roads are horrible,” the sheriff said. “M3gan is early-released to Amazon Prime. Stay home and watch it. Sheriff gives it five stars - and any other show that keeps people inside their homes and off the roads,” Martin joked.
“Seriously,” the sheriff said. “If you must be out, use caution. If you don’t have to travel, please reconsider.”
Western District County Commissioner Layne Nance said Monday that last week’s snowstorm was pretty easy to clear off county roads. “It was a pretty good snow to clear, if there is such a thing,” Nance said.
He said the wet snow was easy to blade and push for road graders. “We actually got some calls commending us for how well we did blading the roads,” Nance said.
Commissioners met Monday and discussed briefly this week’s winter weather.
“Hopefully we don’t see all the power outages like we did last week,” said Presiding County Commissioner Terry Newton.
All five Ozark County schools were closed on Monday and Tuesday.
A warmup is in store for the weekend with temperatures expected to soar into the mid 50s by Saturday.