January 11th-14th, 2024 Iowa Blizzard and Extreme Cold

Overview

After an unseasonably warm December to end 2023, the beginning of 2024 reminded Iowans what winter can really feel like as an upper level low pressure system brought heavy snow, blizzard conditions, and frigid cold to the state. This onslaught of wintry weather came in waves, starting with heavy snowfall on the night of January 11th and lasting through January 12th. Accumulations were highest over southern and southeastern Iowa where amounts ranged from 10 to 14 inches, then steadily tapered off further north and west where 6 to 8 inches was more common.

The heavier snowfall rates moved out of the area by midday Friday, January 12th,
but the impacts had only just begun with light snow and gusty winds continuing periodically through Friday and into Saturday, January 13th. The residual snowpack from the winter storm earlier in the week and powdery snow falling from this system resulted in blizzard conditions as gusty winds picked up Friday. Widespread wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph were observed throughout Iowa, with some locations gusting over 50 mph at times. Whiteout conditions developed on roadways, as blowing and drifting snow made travel nearly impossible for much of Friday and Saturday. These poor travel conditions resulted in multiple road closures, including stretches of I-80, with many more roads deemed impassable by the Iowa Department of Transportation. Travel conditions didn't fully improve until the morning of Sunday, January 14th when wind gusts finally diminished.

In addition to the heavy snow and blizzard conditions, this system brought down an Arctic air mass which plummeted temperatures well below zero. Wind chills during the blizzard dropped to the -10s to -20s on Friday, then -30s to -40s by Saturday evening, creating life-threatening danger with this winter storm.

Photo taken on CR R38 near Slater. Photo courtesy of Rod Donavon.


Total snowfall amounts from January 11th through January 13th. Image courtesy of the Iowa Environmental Mesonet.	Semis stuck on I-80 eastbound near Victor. Photo courtesy of the Iowa DOT.	Iowa road conditions throughout the course of the event. Images courtesy of the Iowa Environmental Mesonet.

Winds
Snow
Wind Chills
Photos & Video
Radar
Environment

Winds

**Peak wind gusts measured throughout Central Iowa**
Location	Peak Gust (MPH)	Time	Source
Ogden	53	0926 AM 01/12	CWOP
Ames Airport	53	0232 PM 01/12	ASOS
3.4 SW Sheffield (UPR)	52	0650 PM 01/12	MESOWEST
Holland	51	0705 PM 01/12	DAVIS
Webster City Airport	49	0515 PM 01/12	AWOS
Des Moines International Air	48	0333 PM 01/13	ASOS
Algona	48	0440 PM 01/12	MESOWEST
Grimes	48	1050 PM 01/12	MESOWEST
Iowa Falls Airport	47	0655 PM 01/12	AWOS
Mason City Airport	46	0245 AM 01/13	ASOS
Iowa State University	46	0220 PM 01/12	MESOWEST
Boone Airport	46	0255 PM 01/12	AWOS
Clarion Airport	46	0555 PM 01/12	AWOS
Estherville Airport	46	0307 AM 01/13	ASOS
Marshalltown Airport	46	0353 PM 01/12	ASOS
Hubbard	45	1058 PM 01/12	CWOP
Algona Airport	45	0235 AM 01/13	AWOS
Carroll	45	0450 PM 01/13	MESOWEST
Denison	45	0430 AM 01/13	MESOWEST

Snow

Click the image below to view an interactive map with all the snowfall reports from this event.

Wind Chills

**Minimum Wind Chills**
Location	Source	Wind Chill (°F)	Temperature (°F)	Wind Speed (MPH)
3.4 SW Sheffield (UPR)	MESOWEST	-52	-20	28
Pocahontas	DAVIS	-51	-19	28
West Bend	DAVIS	-51	-18	32
Williams	MESOWEST	-51	-18	31
Pocahontas	DAVIS	-50	-19	26
Pomeroy	DAVIS	-50	-19	26
Rockwell City	MESOWEST	-50	-18	30
Rockwell City	DAVIS	-49	-19	25
Newell	DAVIS	-49	-19	23
Pomeroy	DAVIS	-49	-19	25
New Providence	DAVIS	-49	-17	29
Williams	DAVIS	-49	-18	28
Buffalo Center	DAVIS	-49	-16	33
Hubbard	DAVIS	-49	-18	26
Bagley	DAVIS	-49	-18	27
Clarion Airport	AWOS	-49	-17	29
Webster City Airport	AWOS	-49	-17	29
Algona	MESOWEST	-49	-18	27
Adair	MESOWEST	-49	-18	26
Mason City	MESOWEST	-49	-17	31

Photos & Video

Header


Blizzard conditions seen in Grimes, IA on January 13th, 2024. Photo courtesy of Adam Orgler.	Snow drifts collecting in front of NWS DMX on January 12th, 2024.	Snow collected on a railing in Des Moines, IA. Photo courtesy of Ashley Bury.	Heavy snow falling on Iowa State University campus in Ames, IA. Photo courtesy of Jacob Vos.


Light snow continues to fall as snow drifts form at the Iowa State University campus on January 12th, 2024. Photo courtesy of Jacob Vos.	Low visibility and drifting snow on US 30 near Boone on January 12th, 2024. Image courtesy of Iowa DOT.

Radar

Radar Image

Radar animation beginning late Thursday night and lasting through Friday evening. Courtesy of Iowa Environmental Mesonet (https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/)

Environment

Observations and Analysis.

Figure 1: Loop of surface map

Thu eve - Fri eve

Figure 2: Loop of RAP 700mb Frontogenesis initialization Thu eve into Fri morning leading to enhanced snowfall rates

Model data


Figure 4: 00Z 12 Jan HREF 1hr snowfall >1" ensemble probability highlighting 60-90% probabilities across southern Iowa	Figure 5: 19z 11 Jan NBM 48hr Snow Probabilities of 6+" Ending 00z 14 Jan

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