By AP/KWMU
St. Louis – The St. Louis area is digging out from eight inches of snow, but forecasters say it will not be on the ground for long.
It began falling Thursday afternoon, took a brief break, then hit hard overnight, falling at a rate of up to two inches per hour for a while. Most schools and universities in the area are closed.
Lambert Airport was shut down for several hours overnight but reopened Friday morning.
Spokesman Jeff Lea said more than three dozen flights were delayed or canceled. He said travelers should still call ahead.
Plow drivers had to work all night to clear the roads. MODOT's Mike Fitzgerald said it was tough for them to keep up while the snow was falling.
MODOT has advised motorists to slow down on the roads, and stay home Friday if possible.
The snow tapered off early Friday. Forecasters expect temperatures to rise over the weekend, so a fast melt is expected.