DES MOINES, Iowa — As a mix of rain and snow falls across much of central Iowa, drivers may encounter delays on the roads Friday morning.
The Local 5 weather team forecasts northern and northeastern Iowa will receive the most accumulating snow, with totals reaching 5" or more toward the Minnesota and Wisconsin borders.
A few inches of snow are possible in counties such as Franklin, Humboldt and Wright.
Moving further south, Iowans can expect a wintry mix with some low-end sleet accumultions near U.S. 30.
The Des Moines metro will see rain as the primary form of precipitation.
Travel advisories and crashes
7:30 a.m.
Drivers heading out for the morning commute are asked to take it slow as wintry mix falls across much of central Iowa, creating slick road conditions.
The I-235 eastbound Exit 3 ramp is partially blocked due to a crash, according to Iowa DOT. Additionally, the left lane of I-235 eastbound between Exit 12 and Exit 137 A is blocked due to a crash. Commuters should expect a four minute delay on I-235 eastbound and a one minute delay westbound.
Further north, a multi-vehicle crash on I-35 northbound is causing a delay between IA 210 and the South Skunk River, near Huxley. The right shoulder is currently blocked, leading to a three minute delay northbound and a four minute delay southbound.
7:43 a.m.
The right lane of I-235 eastbound between Exit 2 and Exit 3 is blocked by emergency vehicles. There is currently a 10 minute delay, according to the Iowa DOT.
The Iowa DOT also reports roads in the Des Moines metro, including I-235, I-80 and several major highways, are partially covered in snow. In Altoona and other cities east of Des Moines, roads are considered completely covered.
Drivers commuting on U.S. 65 southbound should look out for a crash between Exit 77 and Exit 73, near Carlisle.
On U.S. 20 eastbound, the Exit 124 ramp to Quail Avenue is partially blocked due to a stalled vehicle.
Several central Iowa counties are discouraging towing, including Polk, Dallas, Boone, Jasper, Marshall and Story Counties.
8:30 a.m.
Road conditions are seeing slight improvements across central Iowa. Roads in Ames, Ankeny, Des Moines and West Des Moines, as well as surrounding areas, are now only partially covered.
However, accumulation east of Des Moines is picking up, with roads in Altoona, Bondurant and Marshalltown experiencing completely covered roads.
The left lane of eastbound I-80 between U.S. 6 and Exit 113 remains blocked due to a crash, but drivers can expect only a brief, one minute delay.
For drivers in Malcom and surrounding areas, the left lane of I-80 westbound is currently blocked due to a crash, between Exit 201 and Exit 197. The left lane is also blocked between U.S. 63 and Exit 182, four miles east of the Grinnell area.
In Ames, the entrance ramp from South Dayton Avenue is blocked due to a stalled vehicle.
9:25 a.m.
Westbound U.S. 6 near county Road T38 is blocked due to a stalled vehicle.
The Iowa DOT reports I-80 westbound is reopened to traffic as of 9:20 a.m.
IA 163 westbound between IA 92 and Exit 40 is reopened to traffic as of 9:15 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
Roads in the Des Moines metro are no longer covered, according to Iowa DOT. However, roads east of Newton are completely covered.
In the metro, drivers can expect a three minute delay when traveling on I-235 eastbound between Cottage Grove Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. Three lanes are blocked as of 10:30 a.m. due to a crash.
11:20 a.m.
The crash on I-235 eastbound between Cottage Grove Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway has been cleared, the Iowa DOT reports.
In addition, I-80 westbound west of Malcom has reopened to traffic.
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