West Plains schools, including R-7 and rural schools, will not be in session Friday, officials announced.
In-person classes at Missouri State University-West Plains and Shannon Hall in Mtn. Grove will resume Friday
The West Plains Daily Quill office will be open by 9 a.m. as some staff are still contending with icy road conditions.
To report business and school closings, email news@westplainsdailyquill.net. Read on for more area closure announcements.
After setting a record-breaking low temperature of 3 degrees below zero early Wednesday morning in West Plains, things are looking up as a warming trend is expected to bring temperatures into the 60s next week.
The record broken is that of a low temperature of 2 degrees, set Feb. 20, 1963, according to the National Weather Service office in Springfield. The average temperature for Feb. 20 is 30 degrees, data shows.
After several days of daytime highs in the teens and low 20s, Friday’s forecast high temperature of 29 degrees, complete with plenty of sunshine and a light breeze, is sure to feel balmy in comparison. From there, the forecast shows, temperatures will continue to climb: A high of 40 is expected on Saturday, 52 on Sunday and 61 on Monday.
Overnight lows will also see some warming. While tonight’s low temp is expected to bottom out at zero degrees, Friday night is only expected to drop to 12 degrees. On Saturday, the low temperature looks to be in the low 20s, while Sunday and Monday’s lows are expected to be in the 30s.
The gradual warming should help to melt the ice and snow that have prevented students from being able to attend school this week, and it appears likely that students and teachers will be able to return to the classroom on Monday.
The National Weather Service notes that chances of precipitation won’t return until Wednesday — in the form of a 15% to 30% chance of rain. A long-range forecast, which is subject to change, holds a forecast high temperature of 60 degrees that day.
Other schools announcing closures for Friday as of 6 p.m. Thursday include Alton, Ava and Ava Head Start, Cabool, Cotter (Ark.), Dora, Eminence, Houston, Gainesville and Gainesville Head Start, His Place Christian Academy, Licking, Lutie, Mammoth Spring (Ark.), Mtn. Grove, Mtn. View-Birch Tree and Mtn. View Head Start, Norwood, Ozark Horizon State School in West Plains, Plainview in Ava, Salem (Ark.), Skyline R-2 in Norwood, Skyview State School in Mtn. Grove, Thornfield, and Willow Springs and the Willow Springs Excel Program. The Excel Program transportation service will be running snow routes.
Of those districts, the following will be using alternative methods of instruction: Ava and Mtn. Grove.
