By AP/KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – Gov. Matt Blunt says he might call out more Missouri National Guard troops if a forecast of heavy, wet snow this weekend comes true.
More than 500 members of the National Guard already are helping out in southwest Missouri, clearing debris and checking on residents who lost power after last weekend's ice storm.
The governor says utilities told him it will be several days before power is fully restored. State emergency officials say more than 100,000 homes and businesses were still without power Thursday night.
The storms contributed to at least 12 deaths in Missouri; seven were traffic related and five were blamed on carbon monoxide poisoning.
Last weekend's storm knocked out electricity to more than 330,000 customers from Joplin to St. Louis.
Snow is expected to move into the state Saturday afternoon or evening. Three to six inches are possible in southwest and western Missouri, areas that were hit hardest last weekend.
Forecasters say there's a potential for a storm south of the I-44 corridor in southwest Missouri, but that system will be mostly snow.
The National Weather Service warns that the new snow and wind will complicate recovery efforts from the last storm.