Hazardous road conditions in Iowa expected Friday night into Saturday afternoon

Iowans in central and eastern parts of the state are advised to keep an eye on weather conditions if they plan on any traveling late Friday through Saturday afternoon.

An ice storm warning was issued Friday for parts of the state — including Linn, Johnson, Benton, Buchanan, Black Hawk, Grundy, Iowa, Jones and Tama counties — from midnight until 3 p.m. Saturday.

On Friday afternoon, the National Weather Service updated its predictions of ice accumulation to be “up to and over” a quarter of an inch in accumulation. The service also said the storm system would be “slower and cooler” than earlier predictions.

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Dave Cousins, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Quad Cities bureau, said freezing rain will turn into rain after 11 a.m. Saturday, as temperatures rise, but drivers still should be cautious if they have to be out on the roads.

“Traveling will be very hazardous after midnight tonight and through the morning hours tomorrow, and even potentially as we go into the early afternoon,” Cousins said Friday. “Ice can still be pretty slick with a little bit of water on top of it, so people should consider changing their plans if traveling on Saturday morning until the temperatures are back up above freezing and to give time for any road treatments to work.”

As of now, there is no snow in the forecast, Cousins said — only “liquid precipitation.”

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The Eastern side of the state is anticipating a “high chance” — at least 70 percent — of a “glaze of ice.” Cities in western Illinois, close to the Iowa border, have a 10 to 40 percent chance of ice.

Cousins said there will be wind heading east tonight, between 10 to 20 mph. He said there will be a possibility for 30 mph wind gusts that could continue into Saturday.

Those wind gusts could cause any tree branches that are weighed down by ice to fall, Cousins said. ”Or it could even cause some power outages tonight and tomorrow morning.“

At 12:30 p.m. Friday, MidAmerican Energy released an update saying the company is “closely monitoring” the National Weather Service’s storm forecast in case there are any outages.

“Today, our electric delivery team conducted a storm preparation call to assess available company resources, alert our line crews about potential threats to our system due to weather, and to ensure we have available resources in the areas of concern within our electric service areas.,” MidAmerican said in their storm update email. “Those cities in our service territory include Waterloo and Iowa City.”

What to do if you need assistance

Cousins urged drivers to consult the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Iowa 511 website, which is a travel information service. The 511 website provides real-time updates on traffic, road conditions and weather events that could impact travel.

For information about the roads, 511 Iowa can be reached by calling 511 if you are within Iowa and 800-288-1047 for inquiries for both Iowa and across the Midwest.

If drivers need help once on the roads, they can also request aid from Iowa’s Highway Helper by calling 911.

If Iowans see a downed wire, MidAmerican Energy said it is best to assume it is energized and avoid touching it. If a downed wire is seen, the company is asking for it to be reported at 800-799-4443.

To report a power outage, Iowans can file a report online at MidAmericanEnergy.com or by calling 888-427-5632. MidAmerican customers can stay up-to-date with the company’s outage map.

Alliant Energy customers can also monitor power outages on its website. Customers of Alliant can report downed wires by calling 800-ALLIANT.

Olivia Cohen covers energy and environment for The Gazette and is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.

Comments: olivia.cohen@thegazette.com