2/17 Winter Weather

[dmclone]

Made the trip at 5am from Johnston to downtown. The side streets were pure ice but 80/35 and 235 were fine. I drove around 40-45 and that was about average with a few people going 60+.

On a side note, watched about 5 cars go in the ditch on Saturday when heading to Ames for the game. One older couple that went in the ditch drove for about a 1/2 mile in the ditch trying to get out. Don't know if they ever made it but it was kind of funny watching an old Buick just driving along in the ditch.

 

[Goothrey]

Woke up a couple of times to something hitting my bedroom window. Couldn't figure out what was going on in my half sleep.

 

[cyclone1975]

Woke up a couple of times to something hitting my bedroom window. Couldn't figure out what was going on in my half sleep.

Sorry about that. I wanted in and I couldn't find my key.

 

[theantiAIRBHG]

Woke up a couple of times to something hitting my bedroom window. Couldn't figure out what was going on in my half sleep.

Twas the boogie man, duh.

 

[jay moe]

Ice and snow here, very slick, local schools are cancelling.

 

[dmclone]

Ice and snow here, very slick, local schools are cancelling.

People in the south don't know how to drive/

 

[CysRage]

Made the trip at 5am from Johnston to downtown. The side streets were pure ice but 80/35 and 235 were fine. I drove around 40-45 and that was about average with a few people going 60+.

On a side note, watched about 5 cars go in the ditch on Saturday when heading to Ames for the game. One older couple that went in the ditch drove for about a 1/2 mile in the ditch trying to get out. Don't know if they ever made it but it was kind of funny watching an old Buick just driving along in the ditch.

When we were driving on I35 north of Des Moines for the game, we saw 25+ cars in the ditch. Before all of that we came upon a multiple car pile up and people were out walking on the road! I hit the breaks and got stopped in time thanks to my 4 wheel drive but multiple cars that were behind kept sliding and would just hit the cars that were stopped on the road or flew into the ditch. Not a good day.

 

[JSmoove]

Didnt think it was really too bad here in Cedar Rapids until I hit the HWY 30 and I-380 interchange and the ice pellets turned to freezing rain that instantly covered up the windshield the moment it hit. Almost ran my washer fluid dry the last few miles into work.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

Blerg. I'm not going anywhere soon...my drive & gravel lane are a sheet of ice, and snow is falling heavily over top of it right now.

 

[wartknight]

Was out shortly before 5 and roads were fine. Out again around 630 and a totally different animal. Looks like the DOT has been downgrading the road conditions. No where to be for me until around 2 so I think I'll just sit tight for a bit

 

[ImJustKCClone]

Slow drive to Ames for us on Saturday as well. It was not helped by the fact that we realized halfway there that we had left the parking hangtag on the kitchen counter and had to go back for it...

 

[CysRage]

Slow drive to Ames for us on Saturday as well. It was not helped by the fact that we realized halfway there that we had left the parking hangtag on the kitchen counter and had to go back for it...

At that point I probably would have kept driving just parked in public parking instead..but for football I'd definitely go back for the parking pass

 

[cloneswereall]

When we were driving on I35 north of Des Moines for the game, we saw 25+ cars in the ditch. Before all of that we came upon a multiple car pile up and people were out walking on the road! I hit the breaks and got stopped in time thanks to my 4 wheel drive but multiple cars that were behind kept sliding and would just hit the cars that were stopped on the road or flew into the ditch. Not a good day.

How does 4WD help you stop?

 

[carvers4math]

Southern Iowa is a skating rink. Sounds like Ames is bad too? Want to warn my kid so his first step out at Freddy isn't a wipeout like the Friday of finals. He had to inch his way that day so he'll need some lead time.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

At that point I probably would have kept driving just parked in public parking instead..but for football I'd definitely go back for the parking pass

For a different game I would have!

Problem is there were other events, and public parking was at a minimum. Health issues (arthritis) make it difficult for me to walk long distances over uneven (poorly plowed) surfaces, making it a must to retrieve the pass. We live in rural Story county, so it wasn't that far to return...and we had left quite early in the first place.

 

[Agclone91]

How does 4WD help you stop?

It doesn't.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

Southern Iowa is a skating rink. Sounds like Ames is bad too? Want to warn my kid so his first step out at Freddy isn't a wipeout like the Friday of finals. He had to inch his way that day so he'll need some lead time.

Heavy sleet fell, snowing overtop of that right now...Ames is in the center of the heaviest band at the moment.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

How does 4WD help you stop?

Common misconception.

 

[Angie]

Southern Iowa is a skating rink. Sounds like Ames is bad too? Want to warn my kid so his first step out at Freddy isn't a wipeout like the Friday of finals. He had to inch his way that day so he'll need some lead time.

There were ice pellets about the size and texture of ice salt pretty constantly, and now the snow is coming really fast and hard. He'll want to be careful.

 

[Cyclonepride]

How does 4WD help you stop?

Obviously you put in in reverse and gun it.