An early spring blast of wintry weather was dumping a slushy mix of ice and snow in western Missouri, causing numerous traffic accidents and temporarily closing the Kansas City International Airport.

Officials closed the airport to departing and arriving flights for two hours and 15 minutes Saturday afternoon after determining the runways were too icy.

The National Weather Service said the Kansas City region had received up to 1 1/2 inches of snow and up to a quarter-inch of freezing rain by 4 p.m. Saturday. Meteorologists expected the area to receive a total of two to four inches of snow and sleet by the time the storm ended Saturday night.

Northwest Missouri was expected to receive about two inches of snow while the areas of southwest and south central Missouri were to receive up to four inches of snow and freezing rain.