Articles Tagged: Snow

Getting behind the wheel of a huge orange truck for the first time can be intimidating, the retired doctors says. And just like surgery, complicated machines take a great deal of skill to operate effectively.

More than 200 vehicles struck cable barriers on Interstate 80 medians during back-to-back snow storms in January -- which is a lot considering the state usually has about 900 strikes for the whole winter on all interstates.

Several winter storms have barreled through the Midwest since the start of the year, bringing deep snow and bitter cold. It comes on the heels of several years of drought that has left parts of the Mississippi River basin with rainfall deficits of a foot-plus. As the snowpack grows and melts, it could help restore parched stream flows — but also carries the risk of flooding downstream.

Since last week’s snowstorms, towing companies in Cedar Rapids and around the state have been overwhelmed by the number of people needing services. An Iowa State Patrol spokesman estimated “thousands” of vehicles remain in Iowa’s ditches after the storms.

East-west route was ‘impassable’ after last weekend’s blizzard

Above-normal temperatures predicted next week, when snow should melt.

Armed with just an ice scraper and warm memories of their trip to Hawaii, Josh Figg and Bryant Duffy had to dig their SUV out of three feet of snow Saturday at The Eastern Iowa Airport.

Photos around Eastern Iowa of the recent winter snow storm by Gazette staff photojournalists

Blizzard conditions will reach Eastern Iowa by Friday evening, when whiteout conditions may obscure roadways. Arctic cold will follow.

Areas in Eastern Iowa could see up to a foot of additional snowfall, along with strong winds that could prompt a blizzard warning

National Weather Service issued winter storm watch Wednesday afternoon. Snow totals could reach up to 8 inches in Eastern Iowa, accompanied with gusty winds

Based on volunteer observer data, snowfall was likely the highest Cedar Rapids has seen since at least 2009. Some roads remain hazardous

Snow has surpassed 10 inches in some areas, and more continues to fall. At least 46 crashes have been reported so far to the Iowa State Patrol.

Meteorologists upgraded the winter storm watch to a winter storm warning overnight. The City of Cedar Rapids also issued a snow emergency

Southeastern Iowa could see up to 13 inches of snow as the first storm of the year passes through the state Monday night into Wednesday morning.