Winter Storm Causes Over 400 Crashes in 24 Hours as Snow, Ice Cover Roads

Police in Missouri responded to over 400 vehicle crashes in the past 24 hours after a winter storm coated roads with snow and ice.

In a tweet on Friday morning, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said, "Since midnight on February 17," officers have responded to 480 crashes, 649 stranded motorists and 1,602 calls for service.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, among the 480 crashes, there were 40 reported injuries but no fatalities. The number of crashes reported on Thursday comes as a winter storm has brought snow and ice to Missouri and some surrounding states, blanketing roads and causing dangerous driving conditions.

On Wednesday, the National Weather Service in St. Louis first announced that a winter storm was on the way and expected to bring rapidly falling temperatures, heavy snow and a "glaze of ice" across roads and sidewalks making travel difficult.

"Precip is beginning to move northeast & encounter subfreezing air moving southeast, resulting in a combination of snow, sleet, & freezing rain where temperatures are below 32 F. Road conditions will gradually deteriorate in these areas," the National Weather Service in St. Louis said on Thursday afternoon.

In another tweet later on Thursday, the National Weather Service said that while roads were wet earlier in the day, they were expected to "quickly turn icy this afternoon as wintry precip moves in and temperatures crash into the 20s."

"Travel is expected to become very difficult across the city this afternoon/evening!" The National Weather Service said.

The Missouri Department of Transportation also issued a warning for drivers that as temperatures continued to decrease, wet and snowy roads would turn to ice.

Several photos and videos of the snow and ice covered roads were posted across social media, with officials posting numerous warnings about traveling in such conditions.

"Traveling tonight is not worth risking your life or someone else's. Keep Missouri's first responders & snow removal crews safe by staying off the roads. If you MUST drive as part of your evening commute, please continue to exercise extreme caution," the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency wrote in a tweet, replying to a video of a snow covered road.

Two different Missouri State Highway Patrol Troops also posted photos of snow and ice covered roads.

"As of 9:30 a.m., these are the current roadway conditions in and around the Jefferson City area. Ice on the roads is making things very slick. Please stay home, stay warm and stay safe," the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F said in a tweet.

In addition to Missouri, Kansas also reported dangerous driving conditions following the winter storm.

The Kansas State Highway Patrol reported on Thursday that two different troopers were struck by vehicles due to the road conditions.