The snow has stopped and the winds are starting to die down for most of Iowa. Interactive Radar | Weather Alerts | Closings & delaysHere's what to know about Wednesday's blizzard, which forced more than 200 schools to cancel classes Wednesday or otherwise modify their school days and made several roadways impassable for hours.Latest forecast calls for another round of snow followed by warm tempsThursday looks quiet and warmer, with a high of 43 degrees in Des Moines, followed by another system that will more quickly across the state late Thursday night into the day Friday.Rain and mixed precipitation will arrive in western Iowa late Thursday evening, then change to more snow and mixed precipitation into early Friday morning.Once this is done Friday, a band of additional 2-4" of snow looks possible across northern Iowa somewhere between I-80 and Highway 20. Winds will not be that strong, however, and the snow will be fairly wet.After a warm and dry weekend, expect highs to be in the 60s most of next week.Electricity restored for most central IowansAs of 9 p.m. Wednesday, electric power has been restored to most of the thousands of central Iowa customers affected by outages over the last 24 hours. On MidAmerican Energy's outage map, it shows just 124 Des Moines customers and 773 Fort Dodge customers without power.The Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives reports nearly 3,400 outages, including nearly 1,000 customers in Hancock County.Road conditions continue to improveAs the winds start to die down, the road conditions across Iowa are beginning to improve. As of 8:30 p.m., the Iowa Department of Transportation listed most of the state highway conditions as "seasonal," while areas to the west and northwest of the Des Moines metro reported roadways partially covered with snow. A section of Iowa Highway 17 between Webster City and Eagle Grove is listed as "travel not advised." State troopers respond to dozens of crashes, assist more than 400 motorists during Wednesday blizzardState troopers were called to assist 401 motorists during the blizzard Wednesday. Troopers also say they were called to help with 106 crashes, 17 of which involved injuries and 89 that had property damage.The data includes calls from between 9 p.m. Tuesday and 5 p.m. Wednesday. UPDATE: Interstate 35 reopens north of AnkenyThe Iowa DOT says Interstate 35, which was blocked in both directions between Exit 96 (County Road F22 near Ankeny) and Exit 102 (Iowa Highway 210 near Huxley), for several hours Wednesday afternoon, has reopened. Travel is still not advised in the area. Travel is still not advised on I-80 between Stuart and Avoca, but the interstate is no longer listed as impassable, according to the Iowa DOT. Iowa Highway 44 is still listed as impassable between Dallas Center and Panora.Most central Iowa roads are now listed as partially covered or seasonal. Make sure to clear your sidewalksDes Moines municipal code requires property owners and tenants to remove snow and ice from sidewalks within 48 hours following the end of a snowfall. Property owners and tenants who do not comply are subject to a $75 administrative penalty for a first offense and larger penalties for repeat violations over a period of three years.To report a sidewalk that hasn't been cleared after 48 hours, call our Des Moines Public Works' 24-Hour Customer Service Center at (515) 283-4950 or file a report online using this form or on the city's mobile app.Crews continue to work on restoring power As of 4:15 p.m., MidAmerican Energy Company was reporting about 4,000 customers without power, including 1,938 in the Des Moines area and 1,814 in Fort Dodge. MidAmerican spokesperson Geoff Greenwood said crews are facing strong winds and limited visibility as they work to restore power."If the visibility is zero, it's very difficult for them to be able to do the troubleshooting work they need to do," Greenwood said. "The snow wasn't really the key issue. The challenge has been the winds."Greenwood said crews from Kansas, Michigan and Indiana came to Iowa to help out. At the peak of the storm, MidAmerican Energy reported 30,000 outages. Workers were able to cut that number in half in the overnight hours."We try to focus on the outages that affect most customers first, and then we work our way down all the way down to a single customer," he said. Greenwood said they hope to restore power to most Des Moines customers by 7 p.m. Wednesday and the rest of customers by midnight. He said if you're still experiencing issues, contact them. The Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives was reporting nearly 3,700 outages, down from about 6,200 at 10 a.m. Two counties had over 500 outages:Boone County: 581 Midland Power Cooperative customersHancock County: 950 Prairie Energy Cooperative customersFive other counties had between 100-499 customers without power:Calhoun County: 144Greene County: 482Hamilton County: 464Webster County: 303Wright County: 328According to Alliant Energy, about 2,400 customers were without power as of 3:30 p.m.Strong winds build up deep driftsThe two photos below show deep drifts that built up during Wednesday's blizzard. Tree uprooted in West Des MoinesBlizzard warning canceledThe blizzard warning set to expire at 3 p.m. Wednesday was canceled about 30 minutes early. Strong wind gusts up to 55 mph are possible through early evening, so a high wind warning remains in effect until 6 p.m. A winter weather advisory is also in effect through 6 p.m. for patchy blowing snow.Flights delayed and canceled into and out of Des Moines airportNearly every flight departing and arriving in Des Moines has been delayed or canceled, according to the airport.FlyDSM shows dozens of delayed flights. The next flight scheduled to depart on time is at 5:14 p.m. from Des Moines to Detroit.Another state trooper's vehicle hit while helping motoristOnce again: if you don't have to be on the roads, officials are asking you to stay home.Another state trooper's vehicle was slammed into while they were assisting drivers in the blizzard. Nobody was hurt, but it serves as another reminder about the dangerous conditions.Blizzard warning canceled for southern Iowa countiesCounties south of I-80 are no longer under a blizzard warning, according to the National Weather Service.The warning will stay in effect for central and northern Iowa counties through 3 p.m. due to the high winds, which can blow snow and limit visibility.I-80 westbound lanes reopen after crashesWhile roads are still listed as impassible by the Iowa DOT, westbound lanes of I-80 have now reopened. This comes hours after parts of the interstate had to be shut down due to numerous crashes. Interstate 80 westbound at a standstill WednesdayAs of 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Interstate 80 westbound was still impassable, according to the Iowa DOT.The video below shows mostly semi-truck traffic at a near standstill just west of Grand Prairie Parkway in Waukee.Iowa State Patrol shows video from I-35 with semi-truck along blocked roadwayState troopers are asking Iowans to stay home for any non-emergency travel, and it's easy to see why.A video posted on Facebook shows the whiteout conditions along I-35 near Huxley. With blocked roadways, it can be dangerous to drive, and the risk of getting stranded is higher than usual.Another post by state troopers shows one trooper's vehicle after it was hit by a driver. The trooper was helping a stranded motorist when their vehicle was hit.Viewer shares video of crashes, stalled vehicles along I-35A vlog viewer named Sean D. shared video with vlog of several crashes, jackknifed semi-trucks and more stalled vehicles along Interstate 35 this morning.You can watch that video below.Power outages still impacting thousands of IowansWhile many of the power outages have been fixed, more than 10,000 Iowans are still without power through MidAmerican Energy.The outage map shows nearly 6,000 in Fort Dodge without power and a similar number in Des Moines.IAEC reporting thousands of power outagesAs of 10:30 a.m., the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives was reporting nearly 6,200 power outages across the state. Two counties had over 500 outages: Boone County: 809 Midland Power Cooperative customersHancock County: 771 Prairie Energy Cooperative customersSeventeen counties had between 100-499 customers without power:Adair County: 396Calhoun County: 300Carroll County: 292Dallas County: 171Fayette County: 145 Greene County: 428Hamilton County: 354Humboldt County: 101Madison County: 186Polk County: 127Sac County: 176Story County: 250Union County: 103Wayne County: 109Webster County: 299Winnebago County: 134Wright County: 339Interstate 35 impassable between Ames and ElkhartIf you're trying to travel between Ames and the metro, you may be out of luck.Interstate 35 is impassable between Ames and Elkhart, according to the Iowa DOT.Highest recorded wind gusts in Iowa todayvlog meteorologist Zane Satre compiled a list of the highest wind gusts from Wednesday's blizzard.Interstate 80 closed west of Des MoinesA stretch of I-80 is closed shortly after 6 a.m. due to the poor road conditions and multiple crashes along the roadway.According to the Iowa DOT, I-80 from just west of the west mixmaster all the way to near Avoca is impassable. Roads have been blocked off to allow crews to respond to crashes and stalled vehicles."That stretch of road has been a nightmare kind of all night long," Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Alex Dinkla told vlog.Road conditions worsen across the stateMost major roadways in western and northern Iowa, including Interstate 35 and Interstate 80 near the metro, are bad enough that the Iowa Department of Transportation lists them under its "travel not advised" category.Other highways south of Des Moines are completely covered. You can see an updated map here.The roads were expected to be bad enough to keep trucking companies from sending drivers out on the road.Power outages reported for more than 20,000 IowansMidAmerican Energy reports about 23,000 outages across the state as of 5:15 a.m.More than 13,000 in Des Moines were impacted. You can see the outage map here.Blizzard warning for most of IowaMost of Iowa, including central Iowa counties such as Polk, Dallas, Story, Boone, Madison and Warren, fall under a blizzard warning. The warning goes into effect at midnight and will last until 3 p.m. Wednesday. The warning for large areas west and north of the metro went into effect at 9 p.m. Tuesday. Wind gusts around 50 to 60 mph will be possible, and snow accumulation could be in the range of 2-4 inches for parts of the state. Areas west of Interstate 35 are more likely to see accumulation.Travel could be difficult Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. You can see the latest road conditions here.As of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, travel was not advised in western third of the state due to the blizzard, according to the Iowa DOT. Roads just west of the metro were reportedly completely covered, with the storm moving east.Iowa schools announce closures, modified schedules ahead of expected blizzardIowa school districts are modifying Wednesday's class schedules ahead of the expected overnight blizzard.As of 7 p.m. Tuesday, Des Moines and several other central Iowa districts have canceled classes. That also includes Ankeny, Bondurant-Farrar, Johnston, Southeast Polk, Urbandale and Waukee, among others.You can see our full list of school closings and delays here.Several other districts have announced that classes will be held virtually on Wednesday, including Bedford, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, Davis County, Eagle Grove, Gilmore City-Bradgate, Lenox, Mount Ayr, Southwest Valley and West Bend-Mallard. Here’s how to make sure your phone provides severe weather alertsWhen storms are in the forecast, you want to make sure your mobile phone settings allow for alerts that warn you of severe weather. The U.S. Homeland Security Department says to check your phone's settings and ensure you have "Government Alerts" or "Emergency Alert Messages" enabled.You can also keep track of the weather wherever you are with the vlog app: Apple | Google PlayWe'll send you weather alerts and you can track live radar right on your phone.Use caution when approaching or following a snowplowSnowplows, which generally operate at much slower speeds than other traffic, will be out in full force Wednesday. Snowplows can be forced sideways when clearing hard-packed drifts and generate a "snow cloud" that may impair the vision of drivers in nearby vehicles.Remain a safe distance behind all snowplows, pass only when clear; and never continue to drive alongside a plow. Allow plenty of space when passing the snowplow because the wing of the plow blade extends out to the side of the truck. Do not cut back into the lane of traffic too closely in front of a snowplow truck because the blade also extends in front of the truck.Remember the slogans, “Ice and Snow …Take It Slow” and “Don’t crowd the plow.”Rainfall totals Tuesday nightParts of central Iowa are reporting well over an inch of rain Tuesday evening. As of 8 p.m., we've gotten reports of 1.52 inches of rain in Grimes and 1.39 inches in Altoona. See a full list of rainfall totals. Check road conditions before you drive WednesdayMany Iowans will face snow- and ice-covered roads during the Wednesday morning commute. Precipitation ahead of the expected blizzard has prevented Iowa DOT snow plows from treating the roads as they normally would. You can see the latest road conditions here. Grab your ruler: Here's how to accurately measure snowfallIf you are sending us snowfall reports, here are some good practices to use according to the National Weather Service to get the most accurate measurement possible.BEST PRACTICE: Use a snowboard (24”x16” piece of plywood), preferably white, to collect snow.A picnic table or deck without any interference from outside sources can work.If measuring from the ground, find an area with short grasses and be careful not to drive your yardstick into the ground so you don't inflate the measurement.Use a yardstick for measuring.Avoid sheltered areas (sides of buildings & under trees).Be careful of large drifts.If snow has been blown or formed into drifts by wind, take an average of several high and low spots.SNOW PHOTOS: How to share your photos, videos with vlogWinter driving tipsThe Iowa Department of Transportation has reminders for Iowans anytime temperatures drop and snow falls or ice builds up — conditions that make it very dangerous to be stranded in your vehicle.Those tips include making sure you're aware of current road conditions, keeping your gas tank filled up and never using cruise control during winter weather.Girls state basketball tournament to play as scheduledWednesday's games in the Iowa high school girls state basketball tournament will go on as scheduled, organizers say. You can find the full schedule of games here.Boys substate basketball schedule changesHere's a list of Class 4A substate basketball schedule changes due to the weather:Dowling Catholic at Linn-Mar: Tuesday's tip-off time moved up to 6 p.m. Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at Waukee: Postponed to 7 p.m. WednesdaySioux City East at Waukee Northwest: Postponed to 7 p.m. WednesdayKeep an eye on weather across Iowa with vlog's skycamsWeather watchers can keep an eye on conditions by checking our skycam page, which shows aerial views from a dozen sites across the state.How often does it actually snow during the girls state basketball tournament?vlog meteorologist Zane Satre did the research.» Subscribe to vlog's YouTube page» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google PlayTips for keeping your house safe and warm during the cold weatherAs dangerously cold temperatures set in, here are some important reminders to keep your house safe and warm this winter.Do:Close your garage door.Keep your heat to at least 64 degrees.Seal cracks in windows and doors.Move furniture away from vents and radiators.Close the flue to the fireplace, if you're not running a fire.Plug space heaters directly into a wall and not an extension cord.Keep your heat on when leaving the house. Pipes can burst if it's too cold in your house.Don't:Don't use gas stoves or ovens to heat your home.Don't use a generator in your house.vlog's forecast through the weekendWednesday: Windy with snow during the morning. High 30F. Winds NW at 25 to 30 mph. Gusts up to 50 mph.Wednesday night: A mostly clear sky. Low 21F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.Thursday: A mix of clouds and sun early, then becoming cloudy later in the day. High 42F. Winds shifting from NW to SW around 10 mph.Thursday night: Cloudy with rain and snow possible. Low 30F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.Friday: Cloudy with morning snow showers possible. High 39F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.Friday night: Partly cloudy. Low 24F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.Saturday: Sunny skies. High around 45F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.Saturday night: A mostly clear sky. Low 27F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.Sunday: Mostly sunny. High 47F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.Sunday night: Clear. Low 32F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
DES MOINES, Iowa — The snow has stopped and the winds are starting to die down for most of Iowa.
Interactive Radar | Weather Alerts | Closings & delays
Here's what to know about Wednesday's blizzard, which forced more than 200 schools to cancel classes Wednesday or otherwise modify their school days and made several roadways impassable for hours.
Latest forecast calls for another round of snow followed by warm temps
Thursday looks quiet and warmer, with a high of 43 degrees in Des Moines, followed by another system that will more quickly across the state late Thursday night into the day Friday.
Rain and mixed precipitation will arrive in western Iowa late Thursday evening, then change to more snow and mixed precipitation into early Friday morning.
Once this is done Friday, a band of additional 2-4" of snow looks possible across northern Iowa somewhere between I-80 and Highway 20. Winds will not be that strong, however, and the snow will be fairly wet.
After a warm and dry weekend, expect highs to be in the 60s most of next week.
Electricity restored for most central Iowans
As of 9 p.m. Wednesday, electric power has been restored to most of the thousands of central Iowa customers affected by outages over the last 24 hours. On , it shows just 124 Des Moines customers and 773 Fort Dodge customers without power.
The nearly 3,400 outages, including nearly 1,000 customers in Hancock County.
Road conditions continue to improve
As the winds start to die down, the road conditions across Iowa are beginning to improve. As of 8:30 p.m., the Iowa Department of Transportation listed most of the state highway conditions as "seasonal," while areas to the west and northwest of the Des Moines metro reported roadways partially covered with snow.
A section of Iowa Highway 17 between Webster City and Eagle Grove is listed as "travel not advised."
State troopers respond to dozens of crashes, assist more than 400 motorists during Wednesday blizzard
State troopers were called to assist 401 motorists during the blizzard Wednesday. Troopers also say they were called to help with 106 crashes, 17 of which involved injuries and 89 that had property damage.
The data includes calls from between 9 p.m. Tuesday and 5 p.m. Wednesday.
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UPDATE: Interstate 35 reopens north of Ankeny
The Iowa DOT says Interstate 35, which was blocked in both directions between Exit 96 (County Road F22 near Ankeny) and Exit 102 (Iowa Highway 210 near Huxley), for several hours Wednesday afternoon, has reopened. Travel is still not advised in the area.
Travel is still not advised on I-80 between Stuart and Avoca, but the interstate is no longer listed as impassable, according to the Iowa DOT.
Iowa Highway 44 is still listed as impassable between Dallas Center and Panora.
Most central Iowa roads are now listed as partially covered or seasonal.
Make sure to clear your sidewalks
Des Moines requires property owners and tenants to remove snow and ice from sidewalks within 48 hours following the end of a snowfall. Property owners and tenants who do not comply are subject to a $75 administrative penalty for a first offense and larger penalties for repeat violations over a period of three years.
To report a sidewalk that hasn't been cleared after 48 hours, call our Des Moines Public Works' 24-Hour Customer Service Center at (515) 283-4950 or or on the city's m.
Crews continue to work on restoring power
As of 4:15 p.m., MidAmerican Energy Company was reporting about 4,000 customers without power, including 1,938 in the Des Moines area and 1,814 in Fort Dodge.
MidAmerican spokesperson Geoff Greenwood said crews are facing strong winds and limited visibility as they work to restore power.
"If the visibility is zero, it's very difficult for them to be able to do the troubleshooting work they need to do," Greenwood said. "The snow wasn't really the key issue. The challenge has been the winds."
Greenwood said crews from Kansas, Michigan and Indiana came to Iowa to help out. At the peak of the storm, MidAmerican Energy reported 30,000 outages. Workers were able to cut that number in half in the overnight hours.
"We try to focus on the outages that affect most customers first, and then we work our way down all the way down to a single customer," he said.
Greenwood said they hope to restore power to most Des Moines customers by 7 p.m. Wednesday and the rest of customers by midnight. He said if you're still experiencing issues, .
The nearly 3,700 outages, down from about 6,200 at 10 a.m.
Two counties had over 500 outages:
- Boone County: 581 Midland Power Cooperative customers
- Hancock County: 950 Prairie Energy Cooperative customers
Five other counties had between 100-499 customers without power:
- Calhoun County: 144
- Greene County: 482
- Hamilton County: 464
- Webster County: 303
- Wright County: 328
According to Alliant Energy, about 2,400 customers were without power as of 3:30 p.m.
Strong winds build up deep drifts
The two photos below show deep drifts that built up during Wednesday's blizzard.
Carrie Riesenberg
Carrie Riesenberg shared this photo of her mother, Tracy Riesenberg, looking for a good place to start shoveling Wednesday afternoon. The drafts in Roselle, Iowa, were well over Tracy’s head.
Maggie Theesfeld
Brothers Axle and Blayze Theesfeld play on top of a large snow drift while helping their dad with snow removal in Armstrong, Iowa.
Tree uprooted in West Des Moines
Blizzard warning canceled
The blizzard warning set to expire at 3 p.m. Wednesday was canceled about 30 minutes early. Strong wind gusts up to 55 mph are possible through early evening, so a high wind warning remains in effect until 6 p.m.
A winter weather advisory is also in effect through 6 p.m. for patchy blowing snow.
Hearst Owned
The blizzard warning set to expire at 3 p.m. Wednesday was canceled about 30 minutes early.
Flights delayed and canceled into and out of Des Moines airport
Nearly every flight departing and arriving in Des Moines has been delayed or canceled, according to the airport.
shows dozens of delayed flights. The next flight scheduled to depart on time is at 5:14 p.m. from Des Moines to Detroit.
Another state trooper's vehicle hit while helping motorist
Once again: if you don't have to be on the roads, officials are asking you to stay home.
Another state trooper's vehicle was slammed into while they were assisting drivers in the blizzard. Nobody was hurt, but it serves as another reminder about the dangerous conditions.
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Blizzard warning canceled for southern Iowa counties
Counties south of I-80 are no longer under a blizzard warning, according to the National Weather Service.
The warning will stay in effect for central and northern Iowa counties through 3 p.m. due to the high winds, which can blow snow and limit visibility.
Hearst Owned
The latest blizzard warning information across Iowa.
I-80 westbound lanes reopen after crashes
While roads are still listed as impassible by the Iowa DOT, westbound lanes of I-80 have now reopened. This comes hours after parts of the interstate had to be shut down due to numerous crashes.
Interstate 80 westbound at a standstill Wednesday
As of 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Interstate 80 westbound was still impassable, according to the Iowa DOT.
The video below shows mostly semi-truck traffic at a near standstill just west of Grand Prairie Parkway in Waukee.
Iowa State Patrol shows video from I-35 with semi-truck along blocked roadway
State troopers are asking Iowans to stay home for any non-emergency travel, and it's easy to see why.
A video posted on Facebook shows the whiteout conditions along I-35 near Huxley. With blocked roadways, it can be dangerous to drive, and the risk of getting stranded is higher than usual.
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Another post by state troopers shows one trooper's vehicle after it was hit by a driver. The trooper was helping a stranded motorist when their vehicle was hit.
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Viewer shares video of crashes, stalled vehicles along I-35
A vlog viewer named Sean D. shared video with vlog of several crashes, jackknifed semi-trucks and more stalled vehicles along Interstate 35 this morning.
You can watch that video below.
Power outages still impacting thousands of Iowans
While many of the power outages have been fixed, more than 10,000 Iowans are still without power through MidAmerican Energy.
The shows nearly 6,000 in Fort Dodge without power and a similar number in Des Moines.
IAEC reporting thousands of power outages
As of 10:30 a.m., the nearly 6,200 power outages across the state.
Two counties had over 500 outages:
- Boone County: 809 Midland Power Cooperative customers
- Hancock County: 771 Prairie Energy Cooperative customers
Seventeen counties had between 100-499 customers without power:
- Adair County: 396
- Calhoun County: 300
- Carroll County: 292
- Dallas County: 171
- Fayette County: 145
- Greene County: 428
- Hamilton County: 354
- Humboldt County: 101
- Madison County: 186
- Polk County: 127
- Sac County: 176
- Story County: 250
- Union County: 103
- Wayne County: 109
- Webster County: 299
- Winnebago County: 134
- Wright County: 339
Interstate 35 impassable between Ames and Elkhart
If you're trying to travel between Ames and the metro, you may be out of luck.
Interstate 35 is impassable between Ames and Elkhart, according to the Iowa DOT.
Highest recorded wind gusts in Iowa today
vlog meteorologist Zane Satre compiled a list of the highest wind gusts from Wednesday's blizzard.
Interstate 80 closed west of Des Moines
A stretch of I-80 is closed shortly after 6 a.m. due to the poor road conditions and multiple crashes along the roadway.
According to the Iowa DOT, I-80 from just west of the west mixmaster all the way to near Avoca is impassable. Roads have been blocked off to allow crews to respond to crashes and stalled vehicles.
"That stretch of road has been a nightmare kind of all night long," Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Alex Dinkla told vlog.
Road conditions worsen across the state
Most major roadways in western and northern Iowa, including Interstate 35 and Interstate 80 near the metro, are bad enough that the Iowa Department of Transportation lists them under its "travel not advised" category.
Other highways south of Des Moines are completely covered. You can .
The roads were expected to be bad enough to keep trucking companies from sending drivers out on the road.
Power outages reported for more than 20,000 Iowans
MidAmerican Energy reports about 23,000 outages across the state as of 5:15 a.m.
More than 13,000 in Des Moines were impacted. You can .
Blizzard warning for most of Iowa
Most of Iowa, including central Iowa counties such as Polk, Dallas, Story, Boone, Madison and Warren, fall under a blizzard warning. The warning goes into effect at midnight and will last until 3 p.m. Wednesday. The warning for large areas west and north of the metro went into effect at 9 p.m. Tuesday.
Wind gusts around 50 to 60 mph will be possible, and snow accumulation could be in the range of 2-4 inches for parts of the state. Areas west of Interstate 35 are more likely to see accumulation.
Travel could be difficult Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. You can see the latest road conditions here.
As of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, travel was not advised in western third of the state due to the blizzard, according to the Iowa DOT. Roads just west of the metro were reportedly completely covered, with the storm moving east.
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Iowa schools announce closures, modified schedules ahead of expected blizzard
Iowa school districts are modifying Wednesday's class schedules ahead of the expected overnight blizzard.
As of 7 p.m. Tuesday, Des Moines and several other central Iowa districts have canceled classes. That also includes Ankeny, Bondurant-Farrar, Johnston, Southeast Polk, Urbandale and Waukee, among others.
You can see our full list of school closings and delays here.
Several other districts have announced that classes will be held virtually on Wednesday, including Bedford, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, Davis County, Eagle Grove, Gilmore City-Bradgate, Lenox, Mount Ayr, Southwest Valley and West Bend-Mallard.
Here’s how to make sure your phone provides severe weather alerts
When storms are in the forecast, you want to make sure your mobile phone settings allow for alerts that warn you of severe weather. The U.S. Homeland Security Department says to check your phone's settings and ensure you have "Government Alerts" or "Emergency Alert Messages" enabled.
You can also keep track of the weather wherever you are with the vlog app: |
We'll send you weather alerts and you can track live radar right on your phone.
Use caution when approaching or following a snowplow
Snowplows, which generally operate at much slower speeds than other traffic, will be out in full force Wednesday. Snowplows can be forced sideways when clearing hard-packed drifts and generate a "snow cloud" that may impair the vision of drivers in nearby vehicles.
Remain a safe distance behind all snowplows, pass only when clear; and never continue to drive alongside a plow. Allow plenty of space when passing the snowplow because the wing of the plow blade extends out to the side of the truck. Do not cut back into the lane of traffic too closely in front of a snowplow truck because the blade also extends in front of the truck.
Remember the slogans, “Ice and Snow …Take It Slow” and “Don’t crowd the plow.”
Rainfall totals Tuesday night
Parts of central Iowa are reporting well over an inch of rain Tuesday evening. As of 8 p.m., we've gotten reports of 1.52 inches of rain in Grimes and 1.39 inches in Altoona.
See a full list of rainfall totals.
Check road conditions before you drive Wednesday
Many Iowans will face snow- and ice-covered roads during the Wednesday morning commute. Precipitation ahead of the expected blizzard has prevented Iowa DOT snow plows from treating the roads as they normally would.
You can see the latest road conditions here.
Grab your ruler: Here's how to accurately measure snowfall
If you are sending us snowfall reports, here are some good practices to use according to the National Weather Service to get the most accurate measurement possible.
- BEST PRACTICE: Use a snowboard (24”x16” piece of plywood), preferably white, to collect snow.
- A picnic table or deck without any interference from outside sources can work.
- If measuring from the ground, find an area with short grasses and be careful not to drive your yardstick into the ground so you don't inflate the measurement.
- Use a yardstick for measuring.
- Avoid sheltered areas (sides of buildings & under trees).
- Be careful of large drifts.
- If snow has been blown or formed into drifts by wind, take an average of several high and low spots.
SNOW PHOTOS: How to share your photos, videos with vlog
Winter driving tips
The Iowa Department of Transportation has reminders for Iowans anytime temperatures drop and snow falls or ice builds up — conditions that make it very dangerous to be stranded in your vehicle.
Those tips include making sure you're aware of current road conditions, keeping your gas tank filled up and never using cruise control during winter weather.
Girls state basketball tournament to play as scheduled
Wednesday's games in the Iowa high school girls state basketball tournament will go on as scheduled, organizers say. You can find the full schedule of games here.
Boys substate basketball schedule changes
Here's a list of due to the weather:
- Dowling Catholic at Linn-Mar: Tuesday's tip-off time moved up to 6 p.m.
- Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln at Waukee: Postponed to 7 p.m. Wednesday
- Sioux City East at Waukee Northwest: Postponed to 7 p.m. Wednesday
Keep an eye on weather across Iowa with vlog's skycams
Weather watchers can keep an eye on conditions by checking our skycam page, which shows aerial views from a dozen sites across the state.
How often does it actually snow during the girls state basketball tournament?
vlog meteorologist Zane Satre did the research.
»
» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: |
Tips for keeping your house safe and warm during the cold weather
As dangerously cold temperatures set in, here are some important reminders to keep your house safe and warm this winter.
Do:
- Close your garage door.
- Keep your heat to at least 64 degrees.
- Seal cracks in windows and doors.
- Move furniture away from vents and radiators.
- Close the flue to the fireplace, if you're not running a fire.
- Plug space heaters directly into a wall and not an extension cord.
- Keep your heat on when leaving the house. Pipes can burst if it's too cold in your house.
Don't:
- Don't use gas stoves or ovens to heat your home.
- Don't use a generator in your house.
vlog's forecast through the weekend
- Wednesday: Windy with snow during the morning. High 30F. Winds NW at 25 to 30 mph. Gusts up to 50 mph.
- Wednesday night: A mostly clear sky. Low 21F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
- Thursday: A mix of clouds and sun early, then becoming cloudy later in the day. High 42F. Winds shifting from NW to SW around 10 mph.
- Thursday night: Cloudy with rain and snow possible. Low 30F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
- Friday: Cloudy with morning snow showers possible. High 39F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.
- Friday night: Partly cloudy. Low 24F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
- Saturday: Sunny skies. High around 45F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
- Saturday night: A mostly clear sky. Low 27F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
- Sunday: Mostly sunny. High 47F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.
- Sunday night: Clear. Low 32F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
