A blizzard warning continues through six o’clock tonight for a majority of the Siouxland area.
Snow is still falling in some spots with brutal winds.
Travel is not advised in southwest Iowa according to the Iowa 511 website.
The National Weather Service out of Sioux Falls says "If you must travel today, be prepared for poor visibility and slick roads. Check the road and weather conditions before you go".
From the Woodbury County Engineering Department:
Due to high winds, heavy drifting, and blizzard conditions, we are pulling county motor graders from the gravel roads to assist in keeping the paved roads open to traffic. Limited snow removal on gravel roads will be done the rest of today unless the winds subside before evening.
Also, snow removal will continue until 5pm today and resume at 6am tomorrow morning. Agencies are encouraging staying home and do not travel if you do not have to.
Radio Iowa reports hundreds of snowplows are fanned out across the state, but losing the fight in the blizzard. Visibility is almost zero in some spots and the Winter Operations Manager for the Iowa DOT calls it a “challenging day”.
The South Dakota Department of Transportation closed Interstates 29 and 90 overnight. They reopened this morning.
The Iowa Department of Public Health reports the deaths of six more Iowans due to COVID-19 complications and more than 1,300 positive cases in 24 hours.
Siouxland District Health added 25 new cases for Woodbury County. The number of deaths has remained the same for the past few days at 175 in all. The two-week test positivity rate has fallen to 14.1% That’s down more than one-percent from the day before.
Woodbury County health officials say the COVID-19 vaccine is limited. A post on Facebook says “Once vaccination of the 1A priority group is complete, vaccination of the next priority groups as identified by the Iowa Department of Public Health will begin, and we will share information on how people in the next designated group can receive the vaccine.”
Group 1A includes health care workers.
Dakota County set up a waiting list for the vaccine for anyone 65-years or older.
