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Damaging winds cause havoc in Sawyerville

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Illinois Department of Transportation marks the

Illinois Department of Transportation blocks Illinois Route 4 with barricades and vehicles while power companies work to restore power.

UPDATE Wednesday, March 8, 7:30 pm: The National Weather Service has determined the cause of the damage was a tornado and not straight-line winds like originally proclaimed. More details will be available on Thursday on TheBenGilPost.com.

UPDATE Tuesday, March 7, 6:00 pm: Both the northbound and soutbound lanes of Illinois Route 4 are reopen after being closed for approximately 17 hours.

Damaging winds hit the BenGil area and its southern neighboring communities of Sawyerville and Wilsonville in the early hours on Tuesday around 1 in the morning downing power poles, damaging structures and uprooting trees.

Weather experts say it is too early to confirm if the winds were strong enough to be classified as a tornado, but the National Weather Service was predicting wind speeds upwards of 30 mph during the overnight hours of Monday and a tornado watch was issued for Macoupin County before 9 p.m. Monday evening that expired at 4 a.m. on Tuesday.

Regardless if the cause gets classified as a tornado or remains as straight-line winds, the damage was widespread and many citizens in the area were unable to see the full extent of the damage until sunrise. In addition to the damaging wind, the area experienced large hail and thunderstorms.

Ameren Illinois said they activated its Emergency Operations Center at 2 a.m. to manage the storm response. Most of the response was located in Alton, Bunker Hill, Brighton and Sawyerville.  At the time of publication, 261 customers were without power although Ameren Illinois anticipates having all power restored by 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

Only one Sawyerville person is reported to have suffered an injury because of the storm. According to a social media post on the Gillespie-Benld Area Ambulance Service’s (GBAAS) account by Joshua J. Ross, EMT-P, LI, CAC and EMS director of GBAAS, the ambulance service was dispatched at 1:10 a.m. on Tuesday morning for an occupied camper that was overturned. The social media post explained that first responders gained access to the camper and extricated one patient who was transported to a local hospital for “evaluation of minor, non-life threatening injuries”.

See more photos from the storm damage here

Assisting Gillespie-Benld Area Ambulance on-scene was the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office, Benld Fire Department, Gillespie Fire Department, Benld Police Department and Gillespie Police Department.

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Sawyerville suffered the brute of the damaging winds as several power poles along Illinois Route 4 were toppled onto the roadway closing the road that connects Sawyerville and Staunton. Illinois State Police District 18 announced the closure on its social media account warning drivers to use an alternate route for their commute. Route 4 remained closed at the time of publication as Ameren and J.F. Electric made emergency repairs.

Benld Fire and Rescue also announced that Stewart Avenue in Sawyerville was closed because of downed power lines. Stewart Avenue connects Route 138 and Clark Street, but was reopen at the time of publication.

The National Weather Service has confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down in Wentzville, Missouri in St. Charles County at 11:51 p.m. Monday evening and was on the ground for three minutes ending at 11:54 p.m. Preliminary surveys indicate three people were injured in the storm that is estimated to have reached a peak wind speed of 98 mph, was 100 yards wide, and had a path of three miles long.

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Thunderstorms, winds, snow, freezing rain coming to BenGil area

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Another major winter storm is forecasted to blanket the BenGil area in heavy rains, flooding and snowfall starting Wednesday night through Thursday.

The mixture of precipitation and rapidly changing weather likely will produce the potential for sudden icing on roads, with high winds leading to blowing snow and reduced visibility.

“The Illinois Department of Transportation’s snow-and-ice teams will be prepared and out in force, but the public needs to be ready for conditions to change quickly and worsen if they are out on the roads,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “As always during periods of extreme weather, the safest option is to postpone any unnecessary trips and stay home. If you must travel, prepare for very slow and potentially hazardous conditions. And please slow down around our plows and other emergency vehicles, giving them plenty of room to do their jobs.”

The National Weather Service is predicting a wintry mix of precipitation to start with thunderstorms and heavy rain in much of the state this evening, converting to freezing rain overnight before turning to snow Thursday morning. In addition to localized flooding, ice and sleet accumulations are likely, creating extremely slippery surfaces and slick conditions.

Due to the rainy conditions ahead of temperatures falling overnight, the effectiveness of pretreating and salting surfaces in advance of significant snowfall will be limited. The public should anticipate icy conditions even when roads appear clear and greatly reduce speeds. 

“As the Illinois State Police plans to take on the unpredictable Illinois weather, we would like to remind motorists to do their part in keeping the roads a safe place,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly.  “ISP, alongside IDOT and other agencies, will be working in hazardous weather conditions. Please remember to slow down, stay vigilant and move over for ANY vehicle on the side of the road.”

Statewide, IDOT has available more than 1,800 trucks and equipment to plow, treat roads and respond to weather emergencies. If you encounter a plow or any maintenance vehicle during your travels, please slow down, increase your following distance and remain patient. Do not attempt to pass – conditions in front of the plow will be worse than behind it.

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Police investigating death of Bunker Hill woman

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Police are investigating the death of a Bunker Hill woman who was found dead at the end of her driveway near the roadway on Monday morning, January 31.

Nancy Blycker, 91, had multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call to the 2900 block of Wood Hill Lane around 7:40 a.m. on Monday.

The initial suspicion was homicide, according to a release by the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis who said approximately 20 investigators were working the investigation, but the autopsy contradicted that suspicion.

The Major Case Squad said on Tuesday it is “highly unlikely” Blycker’s death was the “result of homicidal means.”

The Major Case Squad turned the case back over to the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department. The official cause of death is pending further lab analysis.

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Winter storm warning issued for BenGil area

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The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the BenGil area, southwestern Illinois, and the St. Louis area.

The warning was issued early Tuesday taking effect at midnight tonight until noon on Thursday, February 3 calling for a “wet, heavy” snow. The forecast also calls for ice prompting a warning about possible power outages.

“All indications continue to point to a disruptive, impactful, and dangerous winter storm impacting the region starting late tonight and lasting through Thursday night,” the National Weather Service said in its Area Forecast Discussion.

The BenGil area is expected to receive heavy mixed precipitation including snow accumulations between 6 and 10 inches, sleet accumulations around three-quarters of an inch, and ice accumulations around two-tenths of an inch. Wind gusts will be as high as 35 mph on Thursday.

The storm is expected to start with rain most of the day today before transitioning into a mixture of freezing rain and/or sleet Tuesday night, then all snow Wednesday morning or as late as Wednesday afternoon continuing until about noon on Thursday.

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