City of Columbia, MO

01/25/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/25/2026 15:35

City of Columbia winter weather update, Jan. 25, 3:30 p.m.

P.O. BOX 6015 COLUMBIA, MO 65205

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 25, 2026

CONTACT: Sydney Olsen
Engagement and Public Communications Manager
City Manager's Office
City of Columbia
573.874.7438
[email protected]

City of Columbia winter weather update, Jan. 25, 3:30 p.m.

(COLUMBIA, MO)- The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a cold weather advisory in effect from midnight to noon on Monday, Jan. 26. Very cold wind chills as low as 21 below are expected.

As winter weather can be unpredictable, residents are encouraged to closely monitor the forecast and changing road conditions throughout the mid-Missouri area. Updates will be posted on the City's various social media accounts. Information and updates are also available on the City's website.

Public Works

A 28-person City of Columbia Public Works snowplow crew reported for duty at 7 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 25. Crews will maintain continuous operations using 12-hour shifts until the winter weather event ends.

Crews will continue focusing on priority routes and expect to begin plowing neighborhood roadways starting Monday, Jan. 26. For this event, residential plowing will begin in outlying areas of Columbia and progress toward the city center. This approach alternates from one winter weather event to the next.

When crews begin plowing residential areas, the Snow Clearing Progress Viewer at CoMoSnow.com will be activated. This interactive map shows which sections of Columbia have been plowed, where plows are currently operating and which areas have not yet been plowed.

Unnecessary travel is not advised during this or any active winter weather event.

Go COMO Transit

Due to winter weather conditions, Go COMO Paratransit service will not operate Monday, Jan. 26. Snowplows are not expected to reach residential streets until sometime Monday, which makes it unsafe to provide Paratransit trips. All scheduled Paratransit trips for the day have been canceled.

Fixed-route bus service is expected to operate as normal, though delays are possible. Riders are encouraged to use the ETA SPOT app to check for service messages and track buses in real time.

Tiger Line service is also expected to operate normally.

Utilities

Due to the frigid temperatures in the current forecast, Solid Waste has canceled all recycling collection for Monday, Jan. 26. Customers will need to hold on to their material until their next scheduled recycling collection.

At this time, all collections will remain on schedule beginning with Tuesday, Jan. 27.

To help ensure that trash collection and snow removal can take place efficiently, please follow these guidelines on roll cart placement.

Collection crews continue to respond to missed collections. If your refuse did not get picked up as scheduled, please let us know by reporting it to the Contact Center at 573.874.CITY (2489) or online.

Sustainability

Be salt smart this winter. Shovel first, use salt only when temperatures are above 15 degrees Fahrenheit, and apply sparingly to cleared surfaces. Sweep up excess salt to protect local waterways, and remember that some de-icers can irritate pets' paws-rinse their feet after walks. Small actions make a big difference for safety, our environment and our community.

Sidewalk Snow Removal

Residents are reminded that the City ordinance requires those who own or occupy property to keep sidewalks in front of, or adjacent to, their property free from snow and ice. Thanks for keeping our community safe and accessible for all.

Public Health

Several warming centers and shelters are planning to be open regardless of weather conditions. Due to changing conditions, it is recommended to check with the location before going.

Animal Control will only respond to extreme emergencies during this weather event, such as a vicious dog running loose, a gravely injured animal or a bat inside a home. Reports can be made by calling 573.449.1888. Response times may be delayed depending on road conditions. Residents are encouraged to bring pets inside during extreme weather.

Police

If the weather requires it, the Columbia Police Department will go into Delayed Accident Reporting. This means that due to hazardous traveling conditions, the Columbia Police have implemented the delayed crash report protocol and will only be responding to crashes involving serious injuries or criminal elements.

If you are involved in a non-emergency accident, please call 311 or report online.

As the hazardous weather continues, we ask that you slow down, increase distance between cars, accelerate and decelerate slowly, wear a seatbelt and take all other precautions to keep yourself and others safe.

All vehicles that have been responded to as part of a delayed crash report will be marked with crime scene tape and towed when weather conditions improve.


City of Columbia Vision
Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play.

City of Columbia Mission
To serve the public equitably through democratic, transparent and efficient government.

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City of Columbia, MO published this content on January 25, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 25, 2026 at 21:35 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]