Midwest Finds Itself Out in the Cold After Heaviest Day of Snowfall Since '54

Iowans' awoke yesterday to a wintry blanket of snow and nearly white out conditions as a winter storm which began it's assault Tuesday afternoon further cemented the winter conditions.

From schools calling yet another 'snow day' to nearby University of Iowa and Kirkwood Community College canceling all classes topped off with busses not running, garbage pickup stalled as well as police and rescue vehicles stuck and for all practical purposes unmovable found this area at a virtual standstill. The heart of the heartland was hit by the heaviest snowfall in a 24-hour period since 1954.

Out of the way neighborhoods discovered that not only were they not visited by snow plows until late in the day but that they were passed by by postal service as well. Nary a newspaper was delivered and signature brown trucks were noticeable in their absences during the past 24 hours. The roads were clear and the signs of wheeled vehicles few and far between.

This reporter lives mere blocks from Interstate 80 and has grown used to the dull roar of passing vehicles in her almost 20 years of residence. After the storm which swept the area dumping 13 inches of snow on an already drifted university town, the roar was gone, making all who are used to its presence aware that not only were they snowbound but that modern transportation for the most part was ceased as well.

Interestingly enough, when the afternoon sun began to show itself, residents began to appear decked out in heavy winter attire to clear paths and experience the aftermath firsthand. Many home owners found drifts promising to challenge even the most dauntless postmen in days to come, as well as heavy snow which clogged snowblowers and caused them to stall. The heavy snowfall all but proved to be impossible to relocate to clear a path, in that there were few places to pile the heavy stuff, that were not already thick with the last winter storm residue.

As the area begins to clean up after the storm, Downtown parking is free to enable residents to stay off main roads for clearance. Schools are back in session and the wheels of education are grinding but I doubt very much there will be many on playgrounds today as from what I've seen, the slides are all but buried. As for this resident, I have chosen to do my driving on the "information highway" as opposed to the pavement, leaving that trip for a time when road crews can better tackle that which caught them by surprise.