(Missourinet) – Most all of Missouri has experienced snow flurries overnight.  Accumulations are from one-to-three inches in the western and central portion of the state, while build-up in eastern Missouri is one-to-two inches.

Meteorologist Gary Schmocker with the National Weather Service in St. Louis says ground temperatures are quite cold, at zero or below, which means the snow will cling to surfaces.

“The snow is sticking on everything, so your sidewalks, parking lots, anything that’s not well treated is going to have some snow cover, some slippery spots,” said Schmocker.

Snow accumulation in the St. Louis area and eastern Missouri is expected to top out at one inch.

Meteorologist Spencer Mell with the National Weather Service in Kansas City said he doesn’t think motorists will experience excessively dangerous conditions.

“Everyone’s getting in on the snow,” said Mell.  “It’s not very heavy, but just enough to be kind of a nuisance out there, enough to make conditions a little treacherous, and you will have to take it easy.”

The snow on the ground in most of Missouri won’t by melting for several days.  The one-to-three inches of accumulation will stay in place through Wednesday because temperatures will hover at zero or below both Monday and Tuesday night.

Meteorologist Schmocker in St. Louis notes wind chill advisories will be in place across Missouri tonight, but the coldest conditions will be in the eastern region.

“The actual wind chill values will drop down,” Schmocker said.  “In the St. Louis area (it’ll be) around minus-15 early Tuesday morning for wind chills.  And then further north, up toward Kirksville, those areas we’re talking about minus-25 wind chills.”

Meteorologist Mell in Kansas City says the temperatures will warm up as the week progresses.

“Right now, we’re forecasting 50 degrees as we get into Saturday.  However, a little bit of snow on the ground could temper those temperatures as we get to the end of the week. However, we will see a warm-up.”

The next chance of rain right now in Missouri is projected to be Saturday night into Sunday.

BRANSON, Mo. – John Miller has an interesting question about the newest resident of the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery Conservation Center: Is a two-headed snake referred to as “it” or “they?”

It’s one of many questions visitors will have about the young western ratsnake that has been put on display in the auditorium of the hatchery’s Conservation Center. Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery is known for producing trout but in terms of public interest, the thousands of rainbows housed at the hatchery may have to take a temporary backseat to one unique-looking reptile.

“This is extremely rare,” said Miller, MDC’s Interpretive Center Manager at the Hatchery. “In my 30 years of working with snakes, this is the first time I, personally, have seen one come from the wild.”

A curious teenager, Terry Lowery, found the snake last October under the deck of his family’s home in Hurley in Stone County. After taking a photo and doing some on-line research, the Lowerys learned that the unique-looking snake was a non-venomous western ratsnake. The Lowerys contacted the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield and zoo staff contacted Miller at the Hatchery. The Lowery family requested, if possible, that the snake be displayed to the public. Before putting the snake on public display, MDC staff wanted to observe the snake for a period of time to assess its health. Since coming to the hatchery, the snake has shed twice, both heads are eating and all external functions appear to be fine.

“Aside from its two heads, it is essentially one snake,” Miller said. “From the esophagus down, it has all the organs a normal snake would have. My biggest concern was if each esophagus was connected to the same digestive system. I was relieved when, after having each head swallow a tiny mouse, two lumps appeared in the stomach.

“Because each head shares a common body, it will be one gender,” Miller said. “My next observation will be to determine if it’s a male or female.”

Western ratsnakes – also known as black ratsnakes – are common throughout Missouri. Since this one is still in its juvenile stage, the snake has a spotted pattern. As it matures, it will become the coloration that most people associate with this familiar snake – a bluish-black back with a white underbelly.

Polycephaly – the condition of having more than one head – is extremely rare throughout the animal kingdom, but occurs more frequently in snakes than in other animals. In most documented cases, two-headed snakes have lived only a few months, but there have been instances where they have lived full lives in captivity and even reproduced.

“This is similar to Siamese twins in which a developing embryo inside the egg does not fully divide into identical twins and, thus, the twins are joined,” said MDC State Herpetologist Jeff Briggler. “In over 17 years in Missouri, I have seen four two-headed snakes and two two-headed turtles.”

A two-headed western ratsnake that was found in 2005 is currently on display at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center in southeast Missouri.

Briggler said that a two-headed snake would have a decreased chance of surviving in the wild for a variety of reasons. It would be extremely vulnerable to predation because it wouldn’t have the ability to escape down the normal holes and crevices that one-headed snakes can fit into. Also, foraging and feeding could be difficult due to two heads acting independently of each other.

However, in a captive situation where it’s able to be cared for and observed, this snake can provide valuable insight about this unique condition. Besides the research value, visitors have a chance to see a very unique snake.

“We welcome everyone to come to the Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery Conservation Center to see and photograph the snake,” Miller said. “It goes without saying that you’ll rarely ever see anything like this. People are also welcome to make their own guesses as to whether the snake is male or female.”

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Latest on Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens acknowledging he cheated on his wife but denying blackmail allegations (all times local):

4 p.m.

The attorney for Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens is denying an allegation that Greitens slapped a woman with whom he had an affair.

The Republican governor acknowledged the months-long extramarital affair late Wednesday after KMOV-TV reported he had a sexual relationship with his hairdresser in 2015. Greitens denied claims that he took nude photos of her and threatened to release them publicly if she disclosed the relationship.

Al Watkins, the attorney for the woman’s ex-husband, says his client told him that Greitens slapped his ex-wife during the affair. According to Watkins, the ex-husband says Greitens became upset when the woman said she had sex with the ex-husband during a period when they were trying to reconcile.

Greitens’ attorney, Jim Bennett, wrote in an email Thursday that any allegation of violence is “completely false.” He says Greitens and the woman had a consensual relationship.

10:35 a.m.

Two Democratic Missouri Senate leaders say allegations of extortion or threats of violence arising after Gov. Eric Greitens’ acknowledged he cheated on his wife must be investigated.

Sen. Gina Walsh of Bellefontaine Neighbors and Sen. Kiki Curls of Kansas City said in a statement Thursday that questions remain about Greitens’ affair.

The governor has denied accusations made by the woman’s ex-husband that Greitens photographed her nude and threatened to publicize the images if she spoke about their affair.

Walsh and Curls said violence against women is unacceptable and that allegations of extortion, coercion or threats must be investigated.

“People accused of these egregious acts do not get to waive off the scrutiny of law enforcement simply because they are in a position of power; and victims of these crimes deserve our full support.”

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10:20 a.m.

Missouri Senate GOP leaders say allegations against Republican Gov. Eric Greitens are “shocking and concerning.”

Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard, Majority Leader Mike Kehoe and Assistant Majority Leader Bob Onder released a joint statement Thursday urging Greitens to be “honest and forthright.”

Greitens acknowledged late Wednesday that he has been “unfaithful” in his marriage, following a news report uncovering an affair with his former hairdresser.

In a separate statement, Greitens’ attorney, Jim Bennett, denied allegations made by the woman’s ex-husband that the governor threatened to expose an uncompromising photograph of her if she revealed their relationship.

Senate Democratic leaders Gina Walsh and Kiki Curls said “violence and threats against women are never acceptable” and that allegations of extortion, coercion or threats of violence must be investigated.

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10 a.m.

A hairdresser who, according to her ex-husband, was having an affair with Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens sent the Republican an email asking him to stop booking appointments at the salon where she worked.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the email was sent Oct. 20, 2015, three weeks after Greitens filed papers formally starting his 2016 gubernatorial campaign. It was sent to the same account that Greitens listed on a website he used in the campaign.

The newspaper doesn’t say how it obtained the email.

She asked Greitens, whom she called by his first name, to “please consider all who are involved and the circumstances around us.” She said returning to the salon “isn’t fair to me, nor anyone close to us” and that she needed to “move forward.”

—————

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens acknowledges he was “unfaithful” in his marriage but denies allegations that he blackmailed the woman he had an extramarital affair with to stay quiet.

The Republican governor and his wife released a statement Wednesday night. It came after St. Louis television station KMOV reported that Greitens had a sexual relationship with his former hairdresser in 2015. The station reported that the woman’s ex-husband alleged Greitens photographed her nude and threatened to publicize the images if she spoke about the affair.

The woman allegedly involved did not comment on the record to the station, which released its report late Wednesday after Greitens gave his State of the State speech. But her ex-husband provided a recording of her detailing a sexual encounter with Greitens and saying Greitens told her the photos would be released if she exposed the affair. She did not know she was being recorded.

Greitens’ statement with his wife, Sheena, didn’t address the affair specifically or the allegations, but in a separate statement Greitens’ attorney, Jim Bennett, said, “There was no blackmail and that claim is false.”