DES MOINES, Iowa — A Blizzard Warning remains in place 6 p.m. through Saturday for the entire Local 5 News viewing area.
The Local 5 weather team forecasted a combination of heavy snow and wind, which lead to dangerous travel throughout Friday.
That combination created unfavorable travel conditions through Saturday.
If you don't need to travel, it's best to stay off the roads.
Travel advisories and crashes
Saturday
3:19 p.m.
The westbound off-ramp on I-235, near E. Euclid Avenue, is closed due to a crash with injury. An alternate route is Guthrie Avenue.
2 p.m.
Des Moines police advise travelers to stay away from Army Post Road and Fleur Drive, as whiteout conditions and large traffic backups are causing problems.
1 p.m.
As of 1 p.m., multiple roads in Iowa were deemed "impassable".
Here's a list:
- US 6 between Iowa City and West Liberty
- Iowa 22 between Kinross and Wellman
- Iowa 175 between Ellsworth and Hubbard
- US 218 between Vinton and La Porte City
- Iowa 141 between Dawson and Granger
- Iowa 22 between Thornburg and Webster
- Iowa 25 between the Greenfield and Guthrie Center areas
- US 65 between Hubbard and Hubbard area
- Iowa 144 between Perry and Rippey
- Iowa 83 between Walnut and Marne & Avoca and Walnut
- Iowa 44 between Panora and Dallas Center
- Iowa 175 west of Eldora
- Iowa 96 west and east of Gladbrook
9:45 a.m.
Iowa State Patrol shared video from Hamilton County showing whiteout conditions and high winds.
Friday
8:45 p.m.
The City of Altoona suspended plow operations until 5 a.m. on Saturday due to high winds and heavy drifting.
Plows were also pulled from Franklin and Wright counties due to "dangerous conditions". Interstate 35 from exit 151 to 188 is impassable due to blizzard conditions.
7:30 p.m.
Interstate 80 west of the I-80/380 interchange, from Iowa City to Victor, is impassable due to weather conditions and crashed vehicles.
"You will not be able to travel on this portion of I-80 until conditions improve," Iowa DOT said.
5:08 p.m.
The City of Urbandale is pulling its plows from the streets at 7 p.m Friday "due to the high winds and significant drifting."
1:04 p.m.
Iowa 175 near Radcliffe has drifted shut, making it impassable. The road is closed between US 69, near Ellsworth, and US 65 in Hubbard.
"The route is impassable. Look out for drifting snow on the roadway," the Iowa DOT's alert said.
11:13 a.m.
Iowa State Trooper Paul Gardner posted a video of high-speed winds blowing that fluffy snow across US 20 in Calhoun County, showing just how dangerous travel can be north of the metro.
11:06 a.m.
10:49 a.m.
National Weather Service Des Moines cautioned all drivers against traveling unless absolutely necessary, sharing a photo of at least two stopped semi trucks in whiteout conditions.
"Note, this IS NOT a rest stop... This is looking WEST along I-80 near Victor. EASTBOUND I-80 is blocked as a result," the post on X, formerly known as Twitter, reads.
10:36 a.m.
Iowa State Patrol Trooper Ryan DeVault shared a look at whiteout conditions on I-80 near Anita, which is in Cass County southwest of Des Moines.
10 a.m.
Iowa DOT says travel is not advised for large portions of I-80 throughout Iowa, including central and southeastern parts of the state.
"Visibility is extremely poor and the road is very slick. Our crews are out, but brine and rock salt aren't very effective in these temperatures. Please sit tight and stay off the roads today if possible to keep us all safe," Iowa DOT shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.
9 a.m.
The area between IA 12 and County Road K42, just east of the Akron area, is impassible due to blowing and drifting snow, Iowa DOT warns.
8 a.m.
I-80 West at mile marker 206 near Victor, where a jack-knifed Amazon truck is causing delays in traffic.
7:17 a.m.
Iowa DOT advises against any travel for most of the Des Moines metro and areas east. This includes Altoona and Iowa City.
7 a.m.
Roads between US 59 and County Road M47 (just east of Oakland) are impassible.
4:19 a.m.
I-80 near Williamsburg - near the 215 Mile Marker - is closed in both directions as crews respond to four jack-knifed semi trucks. Road reopened to traffic at 7:03 a.m.
Stay Weather Aware!
Iowa 511
For a comprehensive, statewide look at road closures, including live cameras and color-coded maps, check out Iowa 511's website.
On the right of the page, there are even layers denoting future construction projects, mile markers and unplanned traffic events. Toggle off what you're looking for and zoom in to the city you need for all the travel information you could want.
You can also dial 511 when within Iowa, or 800-288-1047 from any location, to receive information from the Iowa 511 system. The service is available 24/7 and is free, so use it as needed.
City road closure maps and notices
Often, cities and municipalities will have their own websites dedicated to posting recent road closures and delays, sometimes even including a map website or embed.
Here's a list of some of the central Iowa towns with public road information websites:
- Altoona
- Bondurant
- Des Moines (interactive map included)
- Johnston
- Pleasant Hill
- West Des Moines (interactive map included)
- Urbandale
- Waukee
Warming centers
In Polk County, warming centers open when the wind chill hits 10 degrees Fahreinheit or below. With today's temperatures hitting subzero levels, all centers in the metro should be open. For a list of warming centers in Polk County, click here.
There are also statewide lists available at 211iowa.org.