Marion County Sheriff Kevin Cripps says country roads are impassable on Sunday morning unless you have a four-wheel drive vehicle. He adds it is highly recommended not to try to get out if you do not have a four-wheel drive.
The sheriff reports IDOT has plowed the major highways, and they are passable; however, they are completely snow-covered and icy. Salt does not work effectively below 20 degrees, leading to problems in clearing the highways.
Salem Public Works crews have been out plowing some of the city streets overnight, but all remain snow-covered.
Centralia Police say they have received reports of several vehicles stuck in the snow on city streets. The tow operators and officers are trying to keep up with the calls. Police report city crews are out in full force, working on the main roads first. They strongly discourage any travel today.
In addition to the heavy snowfall, with more on the way, the north wind, currently at 14 miles per hour with gusts to 21, is causing some drifting.
Cripps says because there was little travel on Saturday, the department did not have its usual number of slide-offs during a snowstorm.
The Illinois Department of Transportation is reporting that all roads south of Bloomington and Champaign to the borders of Illinois are all snow and ice-covered. Roads north of Bloomington and Champaign, all the way to Chicago and the Wisconsin border, are reported as mostly ice and snow-covered.
Check the cancellation page under the FYI section on SouthernIllinoisNow.com for the latest cancellation information.
The latest weather forecast and radar information is here.
