Iowa Road Conditions Right Now: Live Updates on Closures, Ice Alerts & Safe Routes

DES MOINES, Iowa—Iowa road conditions are rapidly deteriorating tonight as a fast-moving winter storm drops 2-8 inches of snow across the state, prompting tow restrictions, scattered highway closures and a plea from the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) for drivers to stay alert. Snowfall totals and worst-hit corridors • Northwest and north-central Iowa (Sheldon, Storm Lake, Fort Dodge, Ames): 4-8" with white-out gusts along U.S. 20 and I-35. • Des Moines metro: 2-3" so far, but slick, completely covered lanes on I-80/35 mixmaster. • Northeast Iowa (Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Dubuque): 4-6", heavier pockets near the Mississippi River. • Southwest & southeast Iowa: mainly 0-2", slushy spots on I-29 and U.S. 61. Live Iowa road conditions resources 1. 511ia.org or the 511 mobile app for color-coded maps, plow locations and traffic camera feeds—updated every 10 minutes by DOT crews. 2. National Weather Service radar loop for storm track and intensity shifts. 3. Iowa State Patrol X (Twitter) account for crash reports and rolling closures. Current restrictions and closures • Tow bans: Polk, Story, Boone, Webster and Cerro Gordo counties until visibility improves. • Interstate 35: Officials warn of possible overnight shutdown between Ames and Clear Lake if blizzard thresholds persist. • I-80/I-35 interchange at Des Moines: lanes down to one due to multiple spin-outs; sand and salt trucks running continuous circuits. • U.S. 63 north of Bloomfield and Iowa 175 bridge over I-29 near Onawa will remain closed for separate construction until later this month, compounding detours. Safety tips for winter travel in Iowa • Delay non-essential trips; road coverage can return minutes after a plow passes when winds exceed 25 mph. • Reduce speed by at least 10 mph below the posted limit and increase following distance to six seconds. • Pack a winter survival kit: phone charger, blankets, snacks, shovel and traction sand. • Never pass an active snowplow; visibility behind the blade is near-zero. • If stranded, stay with your vehicle, call 911, and activate hazard lights. What’s next in the forecast? The winter storm warning for north-central counties expires at 7 a.m. Sunday, but temperatures will stay in the single digits. Refreeze is expected on untreated rural roads and bridges statewide. The DOT will transition from plowing to anti-ice brine applications Sunday afternoon, yet black ice may linger through Monday’s commute. How to get real-time alerts Sign up for “My 511” text or email notifications for favored routes, and enable push alerts in the 511 app to receive closure notices within seconds of a DOT dispatcher update. Local news outlets also stream DOT traffic cameras during peak storms for at-a-glance views of interstates. Bottom line Tonight’s snow may not rival Thanksgiving’s blockbuster, but timing with weekend travel and bitter wind chills will make Iowa road conditions treacherous. Check 511ia.org before leaving, keep your tank half full, and give plows plenty of room. A cautious approach now will help ensure holiday plans—and Iowa’s highways—stay on track.