Bad weather likely to continue through the holiday

COLUMBIA — The heavy rain that hit Columbia Wednesday likely will continue into Thursday.

However, Benjamin Sipprell, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in St. Louis, said the storm is on a path that would spare Columbia from the heaviest rains Thursday.

The rain has caused some minor flooding in Cole County.

Sipprell said the flooding wasn’t severe and shouldn’t get much worse as long as the system continues to pass to the southeast of central Missouri.

Boone, Osage, Moniteau and Callaway counties also have been placed on a flood watch.

Freezing rain or snow may also be possible later on, starting Thursday night into Christmas Day.

“We’re keeping an eye out for a mix into snow across mid-Missouri,” Sipprell said.

As for a white Christmas, Sipprell said the Weather Service is forecasting upwards of an inch, and a maximum of 2 inches of snowfall on Christmas Day.