Snow will continue to fall throughout Tuesday, impacting travel in Johnson County
The year's first big winter storm has already had a significant impact and is expected to grow throughout the day.
Iowa City had accumulated four inches of powder by 8 a.m. Tuesday, with plenty more predicted by day's end. Many area schools canceled classes well before the storm hit Monday evening, including the Iowa City Community School District, the Clear Creek Amana School District, Solon and Lone Tree.
More: Johnson Co. schools announce cancellations ahead of storm expected to bring nearly a foot of snow
A winter storm warning went into effect at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8 and will continue until midnight on Jan.10. Officials warn of hazardous and challenging travel due to heavy snowfall and strong winds.
According to the National Weather Service, eastern Iowans can anticipate an additional four to 10 inches of snowfall by day's end.
Plows continue the work to get Iowa roads cleared, but it's still snowing in many areas and the wind is blowing snow around. With the snowfall and wind, you may see drifts on the road soon after a snowplow passes, so if you need to be out today, be extremely careful. pic.twitter.com/daPqCpLW6s
— Iowa DOT (@iowadot) January 9, 2024
More: A storm is coming: What to expect in Iowa City and a refresher on local snow ordinances
How much snow has fallen throughout Johnson County?
North Liberty was reporting five inches of snow as of 9:30 a.m. Tuesday while Marengo had also tallied five inches. Williamsburg was clocking in at four inches of snow by 7 a.m. while Solon had recorded 3.8 inches.
Riverside reportedly had received 3.5 inches by 8:30 a.m. Lisbon had reported the highest snowfall amount in the area by 8 a.m., ticking in at six inches.
More: Johnson Co. schools announce cancellations ahead of storm expected to bring nearly a foot of snow
Who has the most snow so far in Iowa?
Several cities in central Iowa were approaching a foot of snowfall, with Boone clocking in at 10.2 inches as of 8 a.m. Gilbert in Story County is reporting nine inches while Winerset in Madison County also received 10 inches as of 8 a.m.
All reports are courtesy of the National Weather Service.
Snow in eastern Iowa is anticipated to subside between 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday, but the conditions will remain extreme and are subject to change throughout the evening.
Gusty winds will cause blowing snow and create travel difficulties. The Iowa Dot has advised against travel, warning residents to only navigate highways and interstates if necessary. The DOT announced they enlisted more than 600 snow plows to tend to Iowa's snow-covered roads, though strong wind gusts have kept most roads completely covered.
The DOT said in a Tweet, “…If you MUST travel, go slow and watch for plows. They travel much slower than traffic and visibility around plows will be limited.”
What is closed today?
Several other establishments in the Iowa City area have closed due to weather. Some city services, like landfill curbside collection, have been paused for the day. The Iowa City Landfill & Recycling Center will not open on Jan. 9 but anticipate resuming operations on Wednesday.
Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@presscitizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: How much snow did Iowa City get?
