A snowstorm swept across Iowa on Tuesday, Jan. 9 and Iowa City reported 15 inches of snow as of 8 p.m. that day. Across Iowa, schools canceled classes as driving on icy and fully-covered interstates became heavily unadvisable.
Another several inches of snow fell in Iowa City overnight Thursday and on Friday. The wind began to pick up causing snow to blow across roads. Johnson County was under a blizzard watch from 5 p.m. Friday until Saturday morning.
The University of Iowa announced Friday that the first day of spring semester classes on Tuesday will be held virtually because of extreme winter weather. Although the first day of classes was moved to a virtual setting, students still trekked through the snow and wind on Saturday, moving carts full of clothes and dorm room belongings.
As of 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, multiple roads in Iowa were impassible, including portions of I-80, Highway 6, and US 218, per Iowa News Now. According to the Iowa DOT Saturday afternoon, I-80 from Des Moines to Iowa City is still partially covered or fully covered in snow in some areas.
The UI issued a Hawk Alert around 2 p.m. Saturday with a National Weather Service wind chill warning from Jan. 13 to Jan. 16. The Hawk Alert statement said a -40 degree wind chill would occur and frostbite within 10 minutes of being outside is possible.
