MARIES COUNTY — A winter storm followed by an arctic blast blanketed Maries County over the weekend, bringing several inches of snow and dangerously cold temperatures across the area.

Snow fell steadily Jan. 24–25, with local measurements showing about seven inches in Belle and around five inches outside the Maries County Courthouse at Fourth and Main streets in Vienna. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) urged motorists to stay home as crews worked to clear highways and major routes.

Despite the winter conditions and wet roads, emergency calls in Maries County remained remarkably low during the recent winter storm. Maries County 911 dispatcher Nicole Bexten said the storm resulted in only a handful of incidents, with just two calls received.

“We only had two calls,” Bexten said. “One was a four-wheeler, and the other was a tip-over Monday morning.”

Statewide, an update from the Missouri State Highway Patrol showed significantly higher activity, with all troops reporting a total of 1,437 calls for service as of 9 p.m. Jan. 25. Troopers also responded to 289 stranded motorists, 207 minor crashes and 30 injury crashes, along with one fatal crash that was determined to be unrelated to weather conditions.

“We only had two calls,” Bexten said. “One was a four-wheeler, and the other was a tip-over Monday morning.”

National Weather Service reports indicated heavier snowfall in parts of the county and surrounding region. Cooperative observer data showed an average of about seven inches across Maries County, with nearby totals including 7.7 inches near Potosi, 6.8 inches at Rosebud, 6.2 inches at Washington and 4.5 inches at Iberia. Snow depth reports early Tuesday still showed several inches on the ground, including seven inches at Rosebud and Washington and six inches near Rolla.

In Vienna, crews from Struemph Lawn Care were out early plowing streets and clearing sidewalks to help residents travel safely. Plow trucks moved steadily through town while workers used blowers to open pedestrian paths for residents and businesses.

As snowfall tapered off, dangerously cold air settled into the region. The National Weather Service issued extreme cold advisories, warning of wind chills approaching 20 degrees below zero and urging residents to limit outdoor exposure and protect exposed skin. Even areas without formal warnings were advised to treat conditions as hazardous.

Temperatures offered little relief early in the week, with highs near 16 degrees Monday and gusty winds driving wind chills below zero at times. Forecasters said the week ahead is expected to remain mostly dry but cold, with highs near 32 degrees Wednesday before dropping back into the teens by Friday. Overnight lows are expected to dip below zero in some locations.

Maries County schools announced closures for Jan. 26–27 due to hazardous road conditions, canceling Maries County R-1 boys and girls basketball games that were scheduled for Monday.

Officials continue to urge residents to use caution when traveling, watch for slick spots on bridges and secondary roads, dress in layers and limit time outdoors as the cold snap persists.