WSIU Morning News Update - 1/3/25

From WSIU News, I'm Jeff Williams. Good morning. It is Friday, January 3rd. Weather wise today, Sadie and Briesi will have a high near 36. Winds will be on the northwest at 7 to 13 miles an hour. Also, a winter storm watch remains in effect for late Saturday through early Monday morning for the entire region.

Well, as of this morning, our first winter storm of the season is expected to begin late tomorrow evening with a mix of snow showers and freezing rain. The mix is then expected to change over to freezing rain and sleet Sunday morning and continue throughout most of the day on Sunday. Then Sunday night, the wintery mix is expected to change over to some snow around midnight with a chance of some snow showers on top of the freezing rain and sleep through about 6 a.m. on Monday.

Meteorologist Kate Shocky with the National Weather Service in Bedouca says they're still seeing some differences in the models this morning. With some models showing colder air in place and some showing a warmer system, which impacts where the transition from a wintery mix to plain rain will occur. That is why we see changes in the forecast with each update and why we will expect to see additional changes over the next 24 hours or so.

Right now, Shaki says snow and ice accumulations could vary depending on how the front moves into the region. Total snow and sleet accumulations of four inches or more is expected, along with about a quarter inch of ice across the watch area, which includes all of southern Illinois, along and south of Interstate 70, down to a line from western Kentucky.

are down from line from Cape Gerardo into Galconda. The winter storm watch also includes Southwest Indiana, South East Missouri and Western Kentucky. Power outages and tree damage are possible due to the ice travel could also be nearly impossible through the Monday morning commute. So stay tuned, stay alert.

The 7-7 Health Department is offering some basic steps to stay safe on icy and snow-covered surfaces if you have to be out. They suggest driving slow and increasing your following distance with the car in front of you. If you find yourself behind a snow plow, stay far enough behind it and use caution if you pass the plow.

If you find yourself stopped, stalled or stuck, let your car be seen by putting light markers on the antenna or windows, including flags or brightly colored t-shirt. Also, keep your interior dome light on. Health officials also say to make sure your exhaust pipe is clear to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

A former Saluki athletic director Mario Mocha is out at New Mexico State. ESPN reports Mocha has been fired in the wake of an investigation that criticized the school's behavior around the sexual abuse that temporarily shut down the Aggies men's basketball program.

Two former basketball players have agreed to a plea deal in the assault cases brought against them and a third is due for trial next month. The State Department of Justice review of the sexual assaults found that they did not occur in a vacuum but were reflective of a more pervasive toxic culture throughout the program.

The assault allegations forced New Mexico State to shut down its 2022-23 season. Also in 2023, New Mexico State gave Mocha a five-year contract extension and raises salary to $351,000 a year. SIU basketball Hall of Fame coach Jack Hartman has been selected to the National Collegiate Basketball 2024 Hall of Fame class.

Hartman is just the second Saluki to be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, joining SIU and NBA icon, Walt Frazier. Hartman joined seven others in the 2024 class. Hartman posted a 144-64 record in eight seasons as the Saluki's coach. Highlights of his career at SIU include five post-season appearances during his first five years on campus, culminating with leading the Saluki's to a 24-2 record and securing the NIT Championship in 1967.

During that championship season, Hartman coach notable players such as Walt Frazier and Dick Garrett. The City of Carbondale is launching a new utility bill payment portal through invoice cloud. The service offers residents enhanced features for managing their bills.

City leaders say the portal supports payment options like auto pay, text pay, Apple pay, Venmo and others. It also allows users to set up bill payment reminders for added convenience. More information on the payment portal is available on the city of Carbondale website.

Recapping the weather forecast for you a very nice day. Today, relatively speaking, sunny skies, breezy, high around 36. That'll give way to partly cloudy skies tonight. Look for an overnight low of 22. The forecast for tomorrow, not too bad either, at least the first half of the day. Partly sunny skies for your Saturday high around 33. Then it's tomorrow night.

winter storm watch kicks into effect. We're going to see a mix of snow showers, freezing rain and sleet between midnight and 3 a.m. Look for an overnight low of 27. That winter mix is expected to change over to freezing rain and sleet early Sunday morning and that freezing rain and sleet is likely to continue throughout the day on Sunday. Look for high right around freezing

And then Sunday night, those rain showers and freezing rain could potentially change over to some snow florries after midnight and run through early Monday morning. Reporting WSIU News, I'm Jeff Williams.