Severe ice storm hits Iowa, causing dozens of crashes, widespread travel disruptions

A severe ice storm caused dangerous travel conditions across central and eastern Iowa on December 13 and 14, 2024, leading to dozens of crashes and power outages.

The storm’s timeline included freezing rain starting in southwestern Iowa by the evening of December 13 and spreading to central and eastern parts of the state later that night and into Nebraska and Missouri, creating significant ice accumulations.

By the early hours of December 14, over 50 car crashes were reported in Iowa, Nebraska, and Missouri.

Areas like Grinnell, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, and Ottumwa appear to be the hit hardest, while Des Moines also experienced disruptions early on December 14.

Cedar Rapids reported the highest amounts, with nearly 13 mm (0.5 inches) of ice reported.

The worst power outages have been reported in SE Iowa, where over 15 000 customers were left without power.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued multiple Ice Storm Warnings, cautioning that slick roads and freezing fog would make travel hazardous.

“Traveling will be very hazardous after midnight tonight and through the morning hours tomorrow, and even potentially as we go late morning,” meteorologist David Cousins warned.

Many untreated roads turned icy overnight, leading to dozens of accidents by the morning of December 14.

In Omaha, Nebraska, similar conditions led to the closure of Interstate 80 for over 8 hours. In Iowa, major highways like US 63 and Interstate 880 reported multiple crashes and reduced visibility.

The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) advised residents to avoid non-essential travel and use the Iowa 511 travel tool for updates. Des Moines International Airport also experienced delays as icy conditions affected flights.

Schools across central and eastern Iowa canceled classes and activities because of the storm while Des Moines Public Schools postponed ACT testing scheduled for December 14 and suspended evening activities on December 13.

Smaller districts, including Johnston, Ankeny, and West Des Moines, followed suit, closing early to allow families to prepare for the icy weather.

The freezing rain, driven by winds of 15 to 30 km/h (10 to 20 mph) from the east-southeast, continued through the morning of December 14, with wind chills dropping to near freezing.

Forecasters predicted that temperatures would rise above freezing by the afternoon, allowing the freezing rain to transition to regular rain and gradually melting the ice. Despite this, caution remained necessary as water on top of the ice could still make surfaces slippery.

“Ice can still be pretty slick with a little bit of water on top of it,” Cousins stated.

Utility providers like MidAmerican Energy and Alliant Energy prepared for any outages caused by the weight of ice on power lines and trees. MidAmerican Energy released a statement detailing its preparations to ensure adequate resources were available to respond to any issues.

Residents were advised to dress warmly, avoid unnecessary travel, and keep vehicles stocked with winter safety kits.

Conditions began improving south of Interstate 80 by late morning, while northern areas like Cedar Rapids and Waterloo saw relief by the afternoon as the rain took over.

References:

¹ Dangerous ice storm causes multiple wrecks along highways across Plains, Midwest – FOX WEATHER – December 13, 2024

² Ice Storm Warning: Freezing rain will lead to difficult travel Saturday in eastern Iowa – IOWA’s NEWS NOW – December 14, 2024

Featured image: Crash on I-880 in western Iowa on December 13, 2024. Image credit: Iowa State Patrol

Rishika holds a Master’s in International Studies from Stella Maris College, Chennai, India, where she earned a gold medal, and an MCA from the University of Mysore, Karnataka, India. Previously, she served as a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India. During her tenure, she contributed as a Junior Writer for Europe Monitor on the Global Politics website and as an Assistant Editor for The World This Week. Her work has also been published in The Hindu newspaper, showing her expertise in global affairs. Rishika is also a recipient of the Women Empowerment Award at the district level in Haryana, India, in 2022.