Blowing and drifting snow still causing tricky holiday travel

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (KCRG) – Road conditions in eastern Iowa don’t improve anytime soon, if at all.

CityCAMs’ network and Iowa DOT’s road and plow cameras show that the town’s main roads aren’t too bad with snow-covered side streets. Venture into the suburbs and find drifts several feet high in places, snowstorms scouring the road surface into a layer of black ice, ice-filled ramps and turn lanes, and other rapidly changing conditions. I can.

Wind

Strong northwesterly winds will continue at 40 to 50 mph through Friday afternoon. This means that whiteout conditions continue to be a concern, especially in rural and open areas. This is one of those cases where in towns the impact is much less, but outside of town things can change quickly.

Cold, windy weather continues Friday night and Saturday, eventually easing by Christmas Day.

By Christmas night, a much weaker system could spread an inch or two of snow on its way to Monday morning.

cold

Wind chill, dropping to minus 40 degrees, is a big concern today. Expect sub-zero temperatures to continue into Saturday morning, with sub-zero winds through the holiday weekend. You can get frostbite in less than 15 minutes in this cold weather, so dress appropriately. Cover any exposed skin, especially your ears and nose, and limit your time outdoors if possible.

The cold is also why road conditions don’t improve quickly because salt, brine and other chemical treatments don’t work well below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

what you can do

If you are planning a vacation trip, you should consider another scenario. This can sometimes seem difficult and dangerous. Postpone the trip if possible until the crew can clear the roads and handle it. If you have to hit the road, make sure you have a winter weather kit in your car, as you could be stuck in the worst of storms for a while.

If there is cold air and the wind chill stays below freezing for many days, bring proper winter clothing to protect yourself from frostbite. Hats, gloves, scarves, and heavy coats are required at this time of year.

Pack a winter survival kit in your car if you need to travel. Includes:

• Full tank of gas

• Jumper cables or jump packs

• Mobile phone charger

• First aid kit

• Flashlight with battery

• Thermal blanket

• Bottled water and non-perishable snacks

Shovel, ice scraper, snow brush

• Emergency flare

• traction litter or cat litter;

• Coats, hats, scarves and boots for all travelers

Stay safe and stay up to date with the situation before heading out if necessary. We will continue to provide additional updates on-air via KCRG.com and the KCRG-TV9 First Alert Weather app over the next few days.

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