Updated snowfall totals through 7:45-a.m. (from the National Weather Service/Mesonet)

w/ Ric Hanson

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PERVICAL, Iowa (AP) – The big storm system that dumped a half foot or more of snow on some parts of Iowa may have fallen short of some expectations.  Kelly Malone is a shift manager at the Pilot Flying J station and store that sits along Iowa Highway 2 just west of Interstate 29 in southwest Iowa. Malone said Friday that things were pretty hectic at the Flying J on Thursday, as customers stopped briefly for fuel or food while hustling to beat the storm.

His company had taken precautions by reserving seven rooms for employees at the nearby Super 8 Motel.  Malone says, “We were prepared for the worst, but it didn’t happen that bad. To me it was just an average storm, but I’m a person who drives through anything.”

The National Weather Service said snowfall across the area ranged from 5-to 6-inches across the southwest corner of the state, from 3.5-to 5-inches across Ringgold and Taylor Counties northwestward to portions of Pottawattamie and Harrison Counties. Other areas received anywhere from 2-to 3-inches of snow.

Snowfall reports from around southwest/western Iowa (as of 6-a.m.):

Atlantic (@ KJAN) 4.5″…..Villisca 6″…..Malvern 6.5″

The Iowa Department of Transportation (511ia.org) reports that as of 6:25-a.m, roadways in southwest Iowa, west of the Cass/Adair County line and along and south of I-80, were partially or mostly covered with snow. Towing services are prohibited. Other roads around the listening area are completely covered with snow, and towing services are prohibited.

Statewide snowfall totals for Iowa as of 5:30-a.m. Feb. 22nd, 2013…

Authorities in Red Oak say a crash between two vehicles Thursday afternoon at the intersection of north 8th Street and east Chautauqua Drive, was caused by slick road conditions. No one was injured when vehicles driven by 36-year old Sue Baier and 24-year old Marie Childs, both of Red Oak, collided at around 12:35-p.m.

Officials say Baier’s 2011 Nissan Versa was traveling west on east Chautauqua, and due to the ice and snow covered roads, could not stop at the intersection. Her vehicle slide through the intersection and hit a southbound 2004 Kia Sedona, driven by Childs. Damage amounted to $5,700. No citations were issued.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

AMES, Iowa – Feb. 21, 2013: 5 p.m. update – Iowa travel conditions are rapidly deteriorating in many areas of the state due to the advancing winter storm. Light to moderate snow continues to fall over southern and central Iowa, but an intensification of the storm is expected in the next few hours. A strong east wind is reducing visibility to one-quarter to one-half mile, especially in open areas. The Iowa Department of Transportation’s road condition report is listing most roads in southwest and south central Iowa as partially to mostly covered. For southeast Iowa, a break in the snow is expected to be short-lived as more snow is on its way. Iowa DOT road conditions in this quadrant of the state are shown as completely covered. For traveler information anytime, visit www.511ia.org, call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide).

The UNL-ISU Beef Feedlot Roundtable Webinar that was scheduled for today (2/21) at the ISU Armstrong Research Farm has been rescheduled for March 12. Same time, 12:45 – 3:30 p.m. There is no fee to attend.

Agenda:

12:45 Registration

1 p.m. Animal Welfare Challenges Facing the Beef Feedlot Industry – Temple Grandin, Colorado State University

2 p.m. Market Outlook and Key issues Related to Formula Pricing – Jim Robb, Livestock Marketing Information Center

3 p.m. ISU Research update – Stephanie Hansen & Dan Loy, ISU

3:30 p.m. Adjourn

…A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST FRIDAY…

* SHORT TERM TRENDS...MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS BEFORE BECOMING LIGHTER BY THIS EVENING. THE HEAVIEST ACCUMULATIONS WILL OCCUR THROUGH 6 PM CST TODAY. THE LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVERNIGHT TONIGHT INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS FRIDAY BEFORE TAPERING OFF MID MORNING FRIDAY.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 6 TO 9 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY...EASTERLY WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUST NEAR 35 MPH WILL LEAD TO VISIBILITY OF LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE AT TIMES THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR CAN BE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON. THE STRONG WINDS WILL SLOWLY DIMINISH LATER THIS EVENING.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF THE HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS WILL CAUSE VISIBILITY OF LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE AT TIMES AND VERY HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS DUE TO ICY AND SNOW PACKED ROADS.

PERCIVAL, Iowa (AP) – Some motels are filling up ahead of a snowstorm that threatens to dump to a foot of snow in some parts of Iowa.  Krista Tillman is manager of the Super 8 motel near Percival, just off Interstate 29 in the southwest corner of Iowa. Tillman said the snow had been falling for about 90 minutes but she’d rented out about 30 of her motel’s 45 rooms in the last 60 minutes. She expects to be sold out by 2 p.m., if not sooner.

A desk clerk at the nearby Americas Best Value Inn echoed Tillman, saying he expected his 80 rooms would be gone within a couple of hours.