Parts of Iowa are nearly two-feet deep in snow with drifts covering roadways as tall as a basketball hoop. Forty-five counties are under a Blizzard Warning with much of the rest of the state facing snow and blowing snow advisories. Mike Gillespie, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service , says this latest storm brought more snow than last weekend’s winter blast.
Gillespie says "Large portions of the state got anywhere from five inches in the central part of the state up to 12 to 16 and 17 inches across the northwest and north-central part of the state. That’s on top of the few inches they still had on the ground from before so we’ve got some areas that are getting total snow depths pushing two feet right now."
Gillespie says some roadways are under huge snow drifts. He says "Some rural areas that are more exposed are seeing drifts anywhere from four to six even eight-foot high in some areas. It’s going to take a while for the plows to get out and get some of the secondary roads open. The main highways and even the interstates, they’re going to be working on those through today." Interstate 80 is closed from west Des Moines to the Nebraska line. I-29 is closed all across Iowa. I-35 is closed from Ames to the Minnesota border. Many other highways are shut down due to high drifts and abandoned vehicles.
Gillispie says there is a bright spot. He says the good news is — the worst is over. The winds are starting to drop off and snowfall is slackening. The forecast calls for one to two more inches of snow today and in the long-range forecast, high temps should be in the upper 40s across Iowa by Tuesday.