Iowa saw rain, snow and sleet this weekend. How much did we get?

Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register
·2 min read

Rain, snow and freezing rain, oh my! Iowa saw an accumulation of wintry mix over the weekend.

After spring had sprung on Tuesday, the National Weather Service Des Moines warned that two rounds of winter weather, complete with mixed rain, snow, thunderstorm and ice events, would hit central Iowa starting Friday and continuing over the weekend.

On Friday, large portions of Iowa saw an accumulation of snow. It mostly stayed north of the metro, with small amounts of rain in the southern part of the state.

Total Iowa snowfall numbers from Friday

  • Lafayette: 8 inches

  • Cedar Rapids: 7

  • Ames: 4 inches

  • Cedar Falls: 2.2 inches

  • Des Moines International Airport: 0 inches

Saturday looked a little different. It was cloudy, but no precipitation accumulated in central Iowa.

Sunday, however, was wetter. According to the National Weather Service Des Moines, most of Iowa has seen snow, freezing rain and rain.

Earlier in the day, reports of small amounts of snow came in from northeast Iowa, while the metro saw freezing rain. As the day progressed and warmed up a bit with a high of around 45 degrees, central and southern Iowa has been seeing light rain.

Because of the prior snowfall across the state, there has not yet been reported precipitation from Sunday's rain.

In northeast Iowa, however, heavy and wet snowfall was reported by the National Weather Service Des Moines, with low visibility and difficult travel. It is expected to have an accumulation between 2 and 3 inches.

At around 1 p.m., Waterloo was reported to have snow accumulation.

Snow is expected to continue to fall in Waterloo and eastern Iowa until around 7 p.m., when it is expected to turn into rain.

How can I check Iowa road conditions?

Due to this weekend's wintry mix, the National Weather Service Des Moines recommends being careful on the wet and slushy roads.

Be prepared and check road conditions before you head out.

You can check road conditions any time online with the Iowa Department of Transportation's interactive map at 511ia.org or by dialing 511.

The National Weather Service expects very low visibility on the roads to continue through the weekend and offered tips for drivers:

  • Clean off your vehicle before driving, flying snow from cars can cause accidents.

  • Keep it slow, and don't use cruise control. The roads can be slick even if they only look wet.

  • Leave extra distance between vehicles, and stay especially far away from snow plows.

Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@dmreg.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: How much rain, snow and sleet did Iowa see this weekend