The featured map displays the percentage of time a road segment was reported to be in non-normal condition since the first of December. The orange lines indicate that roughly 40 to 50 percent of the time, the road has required some sort of work by road crews who have put in very long hours this winter. Road conditions will deteriorate today thanks to a strong northwest wind expected to blow the fluffy snow from these past two days around.

Voting:
Good = 22
Bad = 10

Tags:   dec09   jan10   roads  

It did not take very much snow to mostly shut the state down yesterday and into this morning. Thanks to a very strong wind and an ice covered landscape, what snow that did fall quickly went horizontal creating white out conditions. The featured chart looks at a comparison of estimated Iowa mean wind speed, RADAR reflectivity coverage, and percentage of roads either closed or with travel advisories. Winds are still strong this morning, but should improve allowing snow plows to clear out many of the roads drifted shut.

Voting:
Good = 22
Bad = 7

Tags:   roads  

The featured map is a summary of the amount of time a road segment was in a condition other than normal or wet for the month of December. This map would indicate that the longest travel headaches have occured over Northeast Iowa with Southwest Iowa experiencing the least amount of winter weather travel. The good news is that this week looks to be mostly dry with fast moving storm systems passing to our north.

Voting:
Good = 31
Bad = 6

Tags:   dec08   roads  

The featured chart is a histogram of reported road conditions for Interstate 80 just west of Iowa City for February. Half of the month has seen non ideal driving conditions with around 12% of the time in a "Travel not advised" condition. Travel is still not advised this morning as wind continues to blow snow across the roads.

Voting:
Good = 20
Bad = 3

Tags:   roads   feb08  

The western and northern half of Iowa is mostly shut down this Friday due to heavy snowfall and very strong northwest winds making travel all but impossible. The featured image is of road conditions over Iowa showing many parts of the interstate system closed and travel not advised everywhere else. Snowfall totals are approaching 18 inches over Northwest Iowa. Finally a snow storm like those we remember as a kid.

Voting:
Good = 58
Bad = 22

Tags:   roads