What does the winter road report show? It shows general conditions on a grid of major highways. Detailed conditions change faster than can be reported, and it's usually unclear if the frozen stuff is snow, slush, or ice. For that reason, only general conditions are shown. It's impossible to report conditions on the more than 32,000 miles of road on the state highway system. That's why a set of major highways across the state was selected for display. Major routes affect the highest volume of traffic and people, and are MoDOT's highest priority and receive the most attention. Because of this, supplementary and/or minor routes may not be in as good of condition. How current is the report? MoDOT staff across the state updates the report daily. Updates are more frequent during winter storms. The computer system is set up to update the report twice an hour. If there are changes, a new map and text report are generated automatically. The text report shows the date and time conditions were last updated. The map has the time and date the map last changed. To ensure you're viewing the most up-to-date information, you may need to "refresh" the page using your browser. Please keep in mind that the information is a report of conditions as of the latest update, which may have changed within the past half hour. It is not a prediction of future conditions, nor is it a weather report. What do the different conditions mean? To keep the report simple, only five condition categories are used. Dry - The surface is generally dry and normal. Watch for ice patches when temperatures are low. Frost can also cover dry pavement without warning. Drive carefully. Wet - The surface is wet, but not yet freezing as of the last report. Wet roads can be slick and may freeze suddenly. Often, salt and traffic will keep main roads wet when bridges or smaller roads are covered. Please use caution. Partly Covered - The surface has frozen patches on it. Bridges and minor roads will likely be in worse condition. Avoid driving in these conditions if possible. Covered - The surface is more than 50 percent covered with frozen material. Driving in these conditions can be dangerous. Please avoid driving if at all possible. Closed - Conditions sometimes warrant closure of the road until work or weather improve the driving surface. Every storm is different. Road conditions depend on many factors - temperature, traffic, precipitation and more. MoDOT works hard to keep roads open and in normal condition. Our goal is to return all roads to normal in less than a day. If you can, avoid driving until our crews have had time to clear the roads. Why does the report say wet when my street is ice covered? The report shows only major routes and general conditions as they were last reported. It doesn't predict future conditions, and some sections/spots may be in worse shape then the road's overall or general condition. City, county, and minor state highways are often in worse condition than the major highways shown in the report. We plow and treat major highways more frequently than minor ones. Reminders: Frost often happens on clear mornings and can be as slick as solid ice. Bridges, northern slopes, and shaded areas tend to frost/freeze first. Melted snow and ice can refreeze and still look like water. If temperatures are low enough, salt will not have any effect. MoDOT uses salt and salt water before an approaching storm in an effort to prevent ice on major roadways. Allow extra driving time in the winter and watch for local or sudden changes. Whenever possible, avoid driving in winter storms.