BELLE — The U.S. National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for Belle until 6 p.m. on Jan. 6, as anywhere between one to 12 inches is expected between Satruday evening and Monday morning. Belle Marshal Jerry Coborn said emergency services and the city public works department are prepared.

“IMake sure you have plenty of water and essential in case the weather is too bad to get out,” Coborn said. “If you have them, make sure your back-up power sources are ready. Make sure your animals are in doors. Be sensible. If you are going to bout and about, be aware of your surroundings and drive safe.”

In case of electrical, heat or other outages, Coborn said the city will have warming stations ready.

“If the weather get knocked out, we will either use the Community Center or the American Legion building,” Coborn said. “Those tow building will be open for warmth and shelter.”

City crews are prepared to respond as soon as the weather begins.

“The city crews should be out and about when it starts snowing,” Coborn continued. “They may not hit every street, but they will hit the main streets so people can get out. I know as soon as it starts falling, the city guys will start coming out and putting down salt. If I’m working, I will notify them if it’s late at night so they can start putting salt down.”

The city of Belle area is expected to receive between one to six inches of snow. The region falls in the “more snow” range.

Three Rivers Electric crews prepare for winter storm

BELLE — Three Rivers Electric Cooperative is monitoring weather conditions and preparing for this first 2025 winter storm.   

“Early predictions show several inches of snowfall and ice. Ice and heavy, wet snow will likely create power outages on the TREC system,” said CEO/General Manager Roger Kloeppel. “We want our members to know what to do and how to stay safe in the event of a power outage.”

Kloeppel noted that linemen will be on call. Member service representatives will be on hand to take outage calls and operations personnel will be on hand to dispatch crews. Three Rivers is also working with the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives (AMEC) and the other 46 electric cooperatives it serves in strategizing and preparing for the storm.

Members are encouraged to report power outages by calling 573-644-9000 or by using the SmartHub app. Outages should not be reported on the co-op’s Facebook page. Anyone aware of downed power lines, broken poles, or arcing conductors, this information is very valuable in assisting crews with power restoration. Please stay clear of the lines and call Three Rivers Electric Cooperative with the information so they can dispatch a crew to address the problem. 

“In the event of a power outage, TREC crews will respond as soon as road conditions are safe. We encourage everyone to stay off the roads until the storm has fully passed to allow emergency responders and our crews to safely do their jobs,” Kloeppel said.

Remember these safety tips during a power outage:

• Stay as far away as possible from downed power lines. A power line does not need to be sparking or arcing to be energized, even if it is sagging close to or on the ground.

• Always assume that all low and downed lines are energized and dangerous. Call TREC at 573-644-9000 or 911 to report a downed or sagging line.

• Anyone utilizing a back up generator to power their home during an outage, please follow all generator manufacturer safety requirements.