Weather roundup: Precipitation mess still plaguing Eastern Iowa

UPDATE: Forecasters increased their ice accumulation predictions for east central Iowa to as much as one-half inch late this morning.

Roads are caked with ice as the storm continues to push through the area. Dozens of schools are closed and power is out to some areas.

Cedar Rapids police took 16 accident reports by 1 p.m., but none of the motorists involved were transported to hospitals, Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said.

About half of the accidents were single-vehicle wrecks, including a van that wound up on its side along I-380 near Collins Road around 11:15 a.m.

Hamblin said city streets aren't too treacherous.

"It's soup," Hamblin said, "but it's not that slippery."

Travel conditions have improved somewhat on Interstate 80, but conditions are still listed as "difficult" in many areas. Interstate 380 isn't much better, as freezing rain and sleet created slushy surfaces. Untreated roads were virtually impassable in some areas. Check statewide road conditions HERE.

"All of Eastern Iowa is just getting smoked right now," Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Dave Willis said.

Willis said most motorists were driving safely this morning, especially as the hard-to-see ice turned to more-visible sleet late in the morning. He was not aware of any ice-related accidents that involved serious injuries.

"The majority of them have been just sliding off into the median," Willis said.

At least three vehicles slid off I-380 just north of North Liberty this morning, including a sport-utility vehicle that came to rest on its side.

Traffic was stopped on I-80 for about 15 minutes when an ambulance got sideways in the roadway, Willis said, but he did not know any more details.

At 11:30 a.m., Willis said traffic on I-380 was moving around 25 mph just north of I-80.

"If I didn't absolutely have to be somewhere, I wouldn't even try it today," Willis said. "Let's put it this way - they pay me to be out here."

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An ice storm warning, effective until 6 a.m. Thursday, has been issued by the National Weather Service for many parts of East Central Iowa.

The warning includes Linn, Johnson, Benton, Iowa, Washington, Keokuk, Louisa, Jefferson and Henry counties.

Freezing rain will continue over the area until early afternoon, according to the weather service. Some sleet may mix with the freezing rain, and thunderstorms are also possible.

Ice accumulations of up to a half inch are now expected, and travel will become difficult, especially on untreated roads. Power outages and down tree branches will also be possible as winds become gusty and ice accumulates.

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Service was restored about 11:30 a.m. today to several hundred customers of the Linn County Rural Electric Cooperative Association in the Center Point and Robins area, said Kim Colberg, the utility's general manager and CEO.

“The crew said the transmission line they were seeing when they were out was galloping, and that's not good,” said Colberg.

Colberg was referring to the wind's effect on ice-laden power lines, causing them to sway. The effect can put more stress on the lines' support.

Colberg said the weather outside his Marion office was turning to snow, “good news for us. It would be nice to see the ice go away and to see the ice come off the lines.”

“We are seeing ice build up, so we're  continuing to watch it,” said Jim Lauzon, CEO of the Maquoketa Valley REC. By shortly before noon, he said the utility had lost a single line affecting fewer than 20 customers.

Meanwhile, Alliant Energy crews are working to restore power to about 3,500 customers scattered across its East Central Iowa service area, but appeared to be holding their own against the freezing rain, spokesman Ryan Stensland said around mid-morning Wednesday.

“We've got some very sporadic outages extending from southwest Iowa through central Iowa, and it's starting to move into eastern Iowa” as the freezing rain spread, Stensland said about 9:30 a.m. Check electrical outages in Alliant's service area HERE.

Among the outages in the region are 298 customers in Clinton County, 317 in the Hartwick and Victor areas of Poweshiek County, and 238 in and around Newhall in Benton County.

Fortunately, “we're not seeing a lot of individual outages” in which crews must spend time restoring downed lines customer by customer, Stensland said. Instead, they're finding downed lines that serve dozens or even hundreds.

“Also, we're getting some reports from southern Iowa already that the ice has turned to slush, which is pretty good,” Stensland said.

Stensland expects crews to keep busy today, but doesn't anticipate anything like the February 2007 storm that cut service to hundreds of thousands of customers, some for weeks.

“We're not expecting anything on that scale, but still this is what Mother Nature's throwing our way,” he said.

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Some flights have now been cancelled, and at least one flight delay has been reported, at The Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids. Officials urge travelers to call their airline's 800 number for more information about their flights.

In Cedar Rapids, buses are running, but on limited service.  The weather has caused delays and restrictions on some routes, and buses are traveling only on designated snow routes, officials said.  Anyone with questions about bus service is asked to call 286-5573.

"Residents relying on bus service to go to work should plan for extra travel time, as the storm has compromised our ability to stay on schedule," said Megan Murphy, communications coordinator for the city's utilities department.

In Iowa City, bus service has resumed after being temporarily suspended this morning due to unsafe road conditions. Solid waste and recycling services were also suspended earlier today; there's no word yet if those services have resumed.

Dozens of area schools canceled classes Wednesday. See all the cancellations HERE.

“With this particular storm, I'm pretty confident that freezing rain will be the dominant precipitation type, as opposed to snow,” KCRG-TV9 First Alert Meteorologist Kaj O'Mara said. “There may be some sleet mixed in, but this should primarily be a freezing rain event, unfortunately.”

A stiff east wind around 20 mph will keep surface temperatures down below freezing as well. Total ice accumulations of one-tenth to one-quarter inch appear to be likely, with isolated higher totals. Power outages are possible.

Since we've been stuck in the clouds and fog lately, the area has developed a huge inversion - a condition that traps cold air in the lowest level of the atmosphere, O'Mara said. With warmer air sitting at about 2,000 feet, rain is dominant, and will fall on sub-freezing ground, he said.

The Iowa State Patrol reminds drivers who are involved in accidents to stay with their vehicles. If you do have to travel, be wary of bridges and overpasses, where ice can accumulate more quickly.

“This winter, Iowans have done a tremendous job of monitoring the winter weather, taking the advisories seriously and altering their travel plans,” Col. Patrick Hoye said. “As a result, our troopers have seen a decrease in serious weather related traffic accidents and fatalities.”